Nixie the Dragon: Season 5a
by C-Alrich
Summary: Sequel to Nixie the Dragon: Season 4. If you haven't read that, I suggest doing so first, or you might be confused and lost. But basically, like with that story, this is a run through of Teen Wolf Season 5, but with my character Nixie in the mix. Serious spoilers for Season 5. Rated M because I'm paranoid and think it's correct. And of course, JordanxOC. :)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

Yep, I'm using the same disclaimer I used from my previous story. Hope that doesn't offend anybody.

I got a lot of positive feedback from my first story, which was of Teen Wolf Season 4 involving my character Nixie. With that love and encouragement, I decided to go ahead and try to write something for Season 5. The whole of the story will be written and posted in the same manner that the TV show aired. So first will be the story for Season 5 Part A, and then a second story which will encompass Season 5 Part B.

I would also just like to tell you guys how much I appreciate you reading my previous story and taking the time to comment on it and let me know what you thought. I obviously liked the story. I'm kind of biased, because I wrote it. But it means a lot to know that you all enjoyed it too. So thanks for that! :)

So here is my take on what a Season 5 Part A of Teen Wolf would look like with Nixie involved. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Chapter 1: Episode 5x1

"Alright, so I found some cool two bedrooms in the Mission District, but they're pretty expensive."

Nixie listens as Stiles starts rambling off the possible living options for himself and Scott for when they go off to college. Scott asks about Berkeley and Stiles mentions that they could try, but the jeep would definitely go through a lot of clutches. Scott gives him a look and asks, "You're bringing the jeep?"

Nixie grins and walks back over to where they're hanging around the hood of said jeep. Putting an arm around Stiles' shoulders, she says, "You know the plan Scott. No one gets left behind. And that includes this precious baby that has served us so well over the years." Stiles points to her with a smile and says, "That's the plan. Lydia and Nix aren't going to have any problems getting into Stanford. Kira's thinking USF. Malia's…"

He pauses at Malia, and Nixie squeezes his shoulders and says, "She'll figure something out, and we'll help her." Stiles smiles at her again, and then says, "Exactly. The plan's perfect." Scott leans back on his elbows and says, "Or we could wait until we actually get into college and then figure out where to live." Stiles sputters and says, "I have a vision, dude. Okay? And it's a beautiful vision. Don't ruin the vision."

Nixie nods and adds, "Besides, planning and preparing beforehand for what you want out of life is half of the process for setting yourself up to succeed with your plans." Stiles points at her with both hands and says, "Exactly!" Nixie grins, and then smiles bigger when Scott says, "Alright, alright." He grins at both of them, and Nixie steps back again as Stiles rambles off about checking Oakland.

Going off to college scares her. Not the idea of college itself, or that she might fail at whatever major she ends up choosing. She's only slightly less smart than Lydia, which is impressive since Lydia's practically a genius. No, whatever college she chooses and whatever major... she will succeed.

It's being away from Jordan Parrish that worries her. They had been working on it over the summer.

Well, that term could be applied loosely. The longest she'd spent away from him completely was four days, and that was during a vacation that she and all her friends decided to take together. It lasted an entire week, and then an extra day.

Deaton had told her that being a blue dragon, combined with her own protective instincts that were layered with her supernatural protective urges… her reactions and needs might differ from what he'd ever read about or heard about. The sound of Jordan's voice could sooth her over a phone. But not being able to see him took it's toll, and not being able to physically touch him if she wanted did as well.

Jordan had gotten called by Lydia in the end, and he'd come down half way through their trip and spent the rest of it with them at the beach. And Nixie wanted to feel ashamed about how much she needed him, but… well, she found she couldn't. At least, not completely. It was part of who she was. It's why the blue dragon had a mate.

Her one weakness was the idea of being alone, and being forgotten by those that she held so dear. That was the blue dragon's sore spot. She protected them all with a ferocity that bested almost all werewolves. And as a dragon, her abilities to protect them grew stronger and more capable every day and minute. But she still had a weakness, and it was being abandoned or forgotten, as though completely unimportant, by those she cared for the most.

Kate Argent had nearly gotten her killed with that belief. Nixie had fought it with everything she had inside, but there had still been a voice in the back of her mind, egging her fear on, until she passed out and her body and mind began shutting down because the belief that she was unnecessary to them had started taking over.

That's when Jordan found her, and brought her back from the brink. That's also when he first kissed her, told her that he loved her, and when their relationship… well, it's when it officially started in her mind. They'd danced around it all of last year, and maybe even longer than that. She'd started liking him almost as soon as he first arrived in town.

He confesses he hadn't developed that kind of crush on her until later, but it hadn't taken him much longer. He'd actually admitted that he'd started seeing her differently the night they lost Alison.

He knows it was a terrible tragedy, and he doesn't demean that in any way. But he'd seen her with new eyes that night. She'd remained strong for her friends, had helped them through the questions and with getting rides home afterwards. It wasn't until everyone was officially gone that she'd let herself go. She couldn't even make it to the parking lot for her bike. She just went to the lounge in the station and locked herself in.

When the Sheriff finally found the key and unlocked the door, she was curled up on the floor in the corner, crying with her hands pressed against the sides of her head. It was the most devastated she'd ever looked to anyone, and Jordan could tell because of the shocked look on the Sheriff's face.

It was Jordan, since the Sheriff was so shocked, that had picked her up off the floor and carried her to the couch by the door and his desk. It was Jordan that settled a warm blanket over her shoulders and gotten her a hot cup of coffee while she finally stopped crying. But even then, she just sat there with a devastated look in her eyes, as though her own sister or mom had been the one to die. He knew that Alison was important to them, but it still shocked him… the level of sorrow she seemed drawn too.

She didn't leave until much later that night, and even then, the thundering storm outside made Jordan ask if she was sure she should leave at all. She'd simply nodded and headed for the door.

Then she turned back and said, "Thank you Parrish."

It was a simple statement, and it might not have touched someone else like it had him. But it was the look she'd given him, the sincerest gratitude that he could see in her eyes, that made him start falling for her. Because in spite of everything, in spite of how broken she felt and how heartbreaking this was for her, she was still so grateful for the small things he'd done for her.

Most people, in that state, wouldn't have bothered with a thank you. And it was his job, as an officer, to take care of her as a civilian after a situation like that. He hadn't expected it, and wouldn't have thought less of her if she'd said nothing at all. But she did, and it stuck with him.

Anyways, over the summer she'd meant to work on not needing to be physically in his presence for so long. And she could go about a week now without needing to be near him. She could just hear his voice and be fine.

But she still needed him after that, or she started falling into a funk again. Not like she was going to die from being forgotten, but a funk nonetheless. She just stopped wanting to do certain things, like play volleyball when asked, or hang out with her friends.

And over the summer, it probably hadn't helped that she'd slept in the same bed with him sometimes. Not all the time. And yes, they just slept. Okay, sometimes they made out for a while. But nothing more than that.

So yeah. They hadn't worked on it very effectively that much. She'd still managed to work up to a week, which Deaton had told her, given her protective instincts and her devotion to everyone in the pack, and the amount of love she had for everyone she cared for, was impressive. But it was still only a week. If she was going to college, she would be away for four to five months at a time. Sure, maybe she could somehow work it to come down every other weekend, but that seemed to be a stretch in her mind.

And she still needed to save money. She wasn't having nearly as many problems as she used to, but that was more because of Jordan than anything else. He'd even gone out of his way and paid for her school books this year. She had practically begged him not to, but he'd done it anyway.

Sighing, she decides on worrying about that later, as she usually does with the problems she has that she believes can wait. She's gotten better. She doesn't hide really big wounds or huge burdens from them anymore. But this… well, it's something that can wait. At least for a little while, to the point where Stiles is no longer freaking out about what neighborhood they all need to live in.

She smiles as she looks at him. Stiles was determined to keep everyone in their group together. Scott was slightly less concerned, but she knew that he could feel it coming too.

She wonders if she said that aloud when Stiles asks, "You alright? You starting to feel it?" Scott shakes his head and says, "No. Just thinking." Stiles asks, "About what?" Scott looks at him and says, "Senior year." Stiles makes a face and says, "Senior year! Come on, that's… that's, nothing. That's going to be easy."

Nixie moves to them again and says, "Lydia and I are the only ones who only have one class this semester. You guys still have a full load." Stiles turns to her and says, "I liked it better when you were backing up everything I was suggesting." Nixie shrugs and says, "Just saying."

Scott grins at her, and then says, "It's more like something Deaton told me once. You ever hear of regression to the mean?" Stiles shakes his head and says, "No, I don't think so." Nixie nods and says, "I think I heard him mention something about it once."

Scott nods and says, "It's basically his way of saying that life can't ever be all bad or all good. You know, eventually things have to come back to the middle. So, think about the last few months. Things have been good, right? But not amazing." Stiles ponders that and says, "Yeah, but no one's tried to kill us in six months either." Nixie nods and says, "Also, the maiming attempts are down to a minimum."

Stiles turns and asks, "Sarcasm?" "You sound surprised. You trained me." Stiles can't help but grin at that, and then jokes, "My baby's growing up." "Whatever. I'm older than you." "Whatever yourself." Scott pulls them back and says, "Guys, focus for a second. We've been pretty much in the middle for a while. Which means, at some point, the scale has to tip one way or the other."

Nixie nods and says, "So things are going to get really good again… or really bad." Scott nods, and then they all look up as thunder cracks across the sky. Both boys look at Nixie, to which she shrugs and says, "It's not me. Besides, it would start raining first if it was my fault. We've been through this."

Stiles nods, and then asks, "You think it's been long enough?"

And from behind them, Liam says, "Yes." Nixie laughs lightly while Stiles turns and says, "Hey. Trying to have an adult conversation over here." Liam says, "Alright, you're two years older than me." Nixie turns to Stiles and says, "He makes a solid point. Same one I did last year when he and Kira went up to the roof to battle a berserker while you manned the computers." "Hey!" Nixie grins at him, and Liam says, "Exactly! And I'm fine. Just let me go."

Stiles sighs and says, "Really liked it when you were backing up what I said Nix." "I'll work on getting back around to that." He grins at her as they walk back over to where Liam is chained to the huge trunk of a tree. Scott pulls out the key for the lock and says, "It's not that we don't trust you." Stiles raises a hand and says, "It's that I don't trust you." Scott shrugs and says, "But… after that last full moon."

Liam huffs and says, "It was one slip up." Nixie crosses her arms and says, "Slip up? A dozen calls to the Sheriff's Department about a, and I quote, 'monstrous dog-boy' running around the streets of Beacon Hills… naked. That's a slip up?" Stiles puts an arm around her and sighs in relief before saying, "Glad to have you back on my side." Nixie smiles at him, then turns back to Liam when Scott asks, "Why were you naked?"

Liam gives them both a look, and then says, "It was really hot out that night okay. Let me go." Scott asks, "You're sure you're okay?" Liam nods, and says meekly, "It won't happen again." Nixie senses Scott searching for something when he asks, "You're in complete and total control?" And even if she couldn't hear Liam's heartbeat, which she can, she wouldn't need to in order to pick up on his hesitation before he said, "Yeah. Complete and total."

Stiles and Scott are heading back to the jeep when Liam looks down at his hands. Blood stains from where he'd clawed through the skin to maintain his 'complete and total' control.

He jumps when Nixie puts a hand around his shoulder and says, "It's alright you know. You're still new and young. It takes time." "How much time?" He looks to Scott and says, "I mean… he doesn't…" "Scott's a true alpha, and he's had a lot more time to learn control. You've had a year at best."

She smiles at him, making him relax and smile back. Pulling him forward, she says, "You're doing fine, and there's no shame to be had." "Even for the naked part?" "Well, maybe a little for that, but only for modesty's sake." He chuckles and hops in the back with her in the jeep.

* * *

At the Sheriff's station, Jordan is answering phone calls about problems with the power. "Yes mam. We're having trouble with the power as well. It's most likely related to the storm." As he hangs up, he jumps a little as Noah says, "Parrish!" But his excitement dies when the sheriff simply says, "Check the backup generator and make sure it's fueled."

He's about to walk away when Noah says, "And Parrish… Answer the phone."

It was the tone more than anything that finally made Jordan snap and take Nixie's advice. He'd honestly, for the briefest of moments during the summer, thought that she had been the reason that the sheriff stopped giving him actual work, actual assignments. He'd thought that maybe, just maybe, Nixie had asked the sheriff to not put him in any possibly dangerous assignments or cases.

But Nixie, being Nixie… he couldn't hide that suspicion from her for long. He managed to keep it to himself for all of a day, and then she was on him. They were at his place, and he was about to start cooking when she came in, grabbed the pan from his hand, and told him that they weren't eating anything or so much as having a glass of water until he told her what was bugging him.

He supposes he should've known she'd figure it out. She paid attention to everyone she cared about, and not just big things, but the little details too. He didn't even realize that he had done anything different, until Nixie finally told him… "You… you kiss my neck. Right here. All the time when we're alone. Everywhere. But… you haven't… and I know it means something's bothering you. So just tell me and I'll help fix it, whatever it is."

So he confided that the sheriff was keeping him bound to his desk, and when he asked if she might have something to do with it, for the briefest moment she looked truly offended. But then she'd softened her gaze and sighed before saying, "Look. I'm protective. I know that. You know that. Everyone that knows me at all knows that. But you don't see me locking Stiles up in his room whenever I think he might try to go out and do something stupid do you? Or staying glued to Lydia's side twenty-four-seven just because she's a banshee?"

She'd cupped his face in her hands and said, "I love you. And I want you safe and unharmed. That's all true. But you're a cop, and I know that. And I know and expect you to go into dangerous places sometimes. It's part of your job. It's what you do and it's a part of what you were made to do. And I would not do anything to try and undermine that or take away from what you do."

That night he'd made the barest and easiest meal he could… but in the interest of taking her in the living room sooner and keeping her on the couch with him, kissing her until she was breathless and then going back for more. It meant more to him than she could possibly know, that she understood what this job meant to him. That it was a calling to serve and protect.

In bed later, since she'd stayed that night with him, she suggested that he talk to the sheriff about it. "Talk to him. Maybe ask him if someone else is trying to keep you out of harm's way on purpose. And if not, then ask him what the hell gives. You're one of his best officers, if not the best on the force. And if he can't give a good reason for practically benching you, then demand the workload you've strived for back. But… you know… in as respectable a way as you can."

He'd chuckled at her then, but now he was doing it. He couldn't take this anymore.

Stepping into the office, not bothering to knock, he says, "Six months. Six months of directing traffic, doing courthouse security, serving subpoenas, and today I finished a total organizational overhaul of evidence lock-up. Now I'm stuck behind the front desk while there's downed power-lines, a jackknifed tractor-trailer and reports of gunshots downtown. I don't know what I did to lose your trust, but you need every available deputy out there."

Okay, maybe the 'losing his trust' comment was pushing it a bit much. He knew Noah still trusted him. At least, he hoped he was right on that mark. But he was desperate. If he didn't get out of this damn office soon, he was going to go stir crazy.

Noah sighs and says, "Okay, got something for you."

Jordan knows that this was entirely too easy, but he takes the sheet anyway. Sure enough, he looks back at the sheriff with his calmest look of exasperation he can manage, and asks, "A noise complaint?" Noah nods and says, "Yeah. Somebody would make a noise. Somebody else complained about it. Check it out."

He's honestly not at all pleased with this. He's experienced for more. He was in Afghanistan for Christ's sake. But… it was out of the office. He'd get to drive, to inspect a house, to talk to a civilian that wasn't fussing at him over the phone about power lines that he can't possibly fix himself. So he takes it and heads out.

Upon entering the house, it looks completely abandoned, but he shouts out anyway, "Hello? This is the Beacon County Sheriff's department." Nothing.

With his flashlight and gun in hand, he heads down into the basement of this house, looking around. That's when he hears a muffled thud come from somewhere. "Hello? Hello!" More thuds, coming from behind a concrete wall. Stepping up to it, he tries to listen closer, and then jumps when the next thud practically shakes the whole wall.

"Hey! Hey, can you hear me?" More thudding, and maybe the sound of rock and wall crumbling and breaking. Reacting on instinct, Jordan says, "Okay, okay. I'm going to get you out of there. I'm coming right back. Just hang on." He hurries back out to his truck as fast as he can, grabbing a tool with a pointed end attached, and then races back down to the cellar. Putting away his gun and setting his flashlight on the ground, he shouts, "I'm here, I'm here! Back up if you can."

He starts working on beating against the wall, knocking bits and chunks out of it. But almost as soon as he starts, a sort of black ooze starts leaking out of the wall, almost like old and decaying blood or old and sludgy motor oil. Then something knocks against it from the other side, spraying Jordan with the substance, nearly getting it in his eye.

Then a hand bursts through the wall, and it instantly wraps around his throat.

The man, or the werewolf that comes through is huge, with long ass claws that don't even look like normal werewolf claws.

Jordan has a brief moment where he wonders how his life got to the point where he could actually categorize what a normal werewolf claw looks like, but then he growls and yells through his teeth as the werewolf takes those claws and shoves them into his stomach, slicing into him painfully.

His eyes begin to glow. He can feel them. But then… the werewolf's blue eyes start to take on the same orange glow that his normally have, and his own glowing eyes dim back to normal. The werewolf tilts his head and says in a growling voice, "Not a werewolf, but you're something." He drops him on the ground, and then says, "Oh, you're no ordinary creature deputy. But then, neither am I. Not tonight."

And then those claws… or more like talons. They glow a bright neon blue color, and his eyes begin doing the same again. Then the wolf looks at him again and says, "I'll let you live if you answer one question. Where is Scott McCall?"

Jordan didn't even hesitate. He just looked at the wolf and said, "Never heard of him."

* * *

"Is it a party?" Nixie sighs as Liam asks the hundredth question in the past fifteen or so minutes. He's trying so hard to figure out what they're all doing at the school library. Stiles glances in the mirror and says, "It's not a party." Nixie had been evading his questions, but eventually just gave up answering him at all. Hence Stiles taking over.

Besides, Nixie was… well, she wasn't sure. She just felt like something wasn't exactly right. She couldn't put her finger on it exactly.

She chalks it up to her anxiety over moving away and seeing less of Jordan, but still can't shake it, even as Liam asks, "Then what's at midnight?" "Your bedtime." Any other time, she would've laughed. Right now, even as she's put it up as her anxiety, she's still trying to figure out what's wrong.

"It's a senior thing. You'll know when you're a senior." Scott mentions having trouble with his phone, so Nixie pulls hers out. And yeah, it's being weird. No signal, and she's pretty sure if she tried right now, none of her apps would work. Not that she has many to begin with, but still.

And then the car gives a sputter from the engine. "Oh, what the hell?" The lights go out, the jeep stops, and Stiles sighs in an exasperated and sad sort of way. Liam asks, "You out of gas?" Stiles sighs again and says, "No. It's electrical. Probably the alternator again." Nixie watches him as he gets out of the jeep angrily. She knows why it's so important to him. It was his mom's. And as much of a pain as it was, he was determined to keep it around.

Scott hops out with him, and Nixie leans forward and focuses on what they're saying. "Whoa, that's a lot of duct tape." Nixie can just picture Stiles' exasperated face before Scott says jokingly, "Kidding. We'll fix it." Stiles nods and Nixie can hear him relax even as he expresses his concern for wanting everyone to be there tonight. Together.

"We'll make it. You got any tools?" "Yeah." And Nixie can't help but grin and laugh a little when she hears Stiles pull out more duct tape to try and fix his ever failing and yet ever faithful jeep.

Liam had been putting in a headphone when she'd glanced at him, but now he says, "Guys." Nixie turns to him, about to ask a question, but then he jumps and she jerks in time to see a bolt of lightning actually come screaming down and slamming into the ground. "Guys!"

"Yeah, give us a second please." Scott adds in, "Liam, stay in the car, okay?" Nixie, faster than werewolves now and still getting faster, pushes Liam to stay seated, and then scrambles out of the jeep and says, "Guys, the lightning."

She can feel it crackle through the air, and jerks Stiles and Scott just an inch or two closer to her side of the vehicle. Away from the lightning strike.

They all jerk to look at it, and then Scott comments, "That was close." "Very close." Nixie looks at both of them, then at the jeep as it starts up again on it's own. Liam sticks his head out the window and asks, "Can we go now?" Nixie gives him a look, to which he slides back into his seat. Then she looks at both of the others and says, "Next time someone says 'Guys' in an urgent tone, respond with a little more urgency aside from, 'give us a second.'"

Stiles just nods, still confused about the whole thing, and then they climb back into the car and head down the road. And Nixie, in spite of having helped her friends avoid electrocution, still can't shake the feeling that something is still very wrong.

When they arrived to pick up Malia, Nixie hopped out and smirked when Malia's dad mentioned owning a gun after Stiles kissed her. The man looks to both her and Malia with a grin, and then comments, "Whenever some boy ends up kissing you, make sure he knows that too." Nixie salutes him, pulling a laugh from the sometimes gruff man. But really, after getting his daughter back and after getting over his need to kill any coyote that got caught in his trap… well, the man was really very nice and sweet.

Nixie pulled her bike over to where the jeep was sitting, and then asked, "She find out?" Stiles shakes his head and says, "No, but we've now decided that we should've left Liam chained to the tree." Nixie laughs a little, and then says, "Listen, I've got to check on some things, but I'll be there soon." Stiles sputters, but Scott nods and says, "See you there."

She nods and takes off, trying to follow her gut and hoping it'll lead her in the direction of wherever some bad shit is apparently happening.

Deaton told her something like this might start happening the closer she got to eighteen. She might just start feeling and sensing when the people she cared about, the people closest to her, were in pain, or trouble, or in need of her presence and aid.

She's not sure if that's what this is, but she sure as hell is going to find out. Because if it is… well, then someone is in serious trouble according to her feeling.

Her gut doesn't start leading her anywhere that she really knows though, so she heads to the station. Maybe Jordan or Noah has some idea about something happening that she just doesn't know about yet, or that even Stiles hasn't heard on his radio yet.

Walking inside and stepping into the office, she smiles when Noah says, "I'm thinking about just giving you an honorary police badge, often as you're here." "Yeah, well, what did you expect? My…" she checks to see that no one is listening, and then says, "boyfriend works here and I happen to be a dragon that needs to be in some sort of constant contact with him."

She frowns at the last part, and Noah comes round his desk and leans on it. "Still having trouble with that?" She nods and says, "It's better than it was… but not by much." "That bother you?" "Not bother really. I mean, it worries me for certain reasons, but I don't really mind the wanting to be near him part. It's the idea that it's… it's necessary that gets me. I mean, that's like co-dependency or something. Like Bella in that second Twilight book when Edward left and she spent like, a bunch of months not doing anything except sitting in her room and mourning him being gone."

Noah gives her a confused look, but she waves it off and says, "You wouldn't even begin to want to read it. Anyway, the point is… I mean, how healthy can that be?" Noah shrugs and says, "Deaton isn't that concerned about it." "Deaton isn't the dragon with a police officer as a boyfriend. Deaton also isn't under the age of eighteen, where he has to concern himself with remaining in a secret relationship until he's of age."

Noah nods at that, and then asks, "Is that really all that's bothering you?"

She ponders telling him about the moving to college, and how it freaks her out that she'll be away from Jordan and Beacon Hills for a good while when that happens. She ponders telling him about the lightning that almost hit Stiles and Scott on the road too.

In the end, she decides it can wait, and presses on with the more important matter. "I'm fine Noah. I do have a question though. Is anything happening tonight?" "What do you mean?" "I don't really know. I just… I have a bad feeling, and it's been getting worse for the past couple of hours." Noah nods and is about to check and see if it looks like anything is happening that she might should be concerned about.

That's when two of his deputies come in, hauling a delinquent that Nixie recognizes, but can't remember the name of. Noah grips her elbow gently and says, "Hang back Nixie." She nods and stays behind the door as Noah looks out to see what's going on.

She hears Noah sigh before he says, "Donovan. You forgot what the judge said, didn't you?" The boy looks confused for a moment, until Noah says, "Next time is jail time."

The boy looks at him in shock and says, "Stilinski, what? Hold up. Come on." Noah just shakes his head, and then asks, "What's he in for?" "B and E. And he was carrying a loaded 38." Noah gives the boy a look, and he sputters, "Okay, it wasn't mine. Sheriff, come on, it wasn't mine." But Noah, with a disappointed look, says, "Book him."

And that's when Donovan loses his shit. Nixie's eyes get wide at how fast his emotional clock seems to turn around. He'd been calm and even sensible sounding, cooperative looking even. Nixie had almost felt sorry for him.

Now… "Oh, you're dead. Hey! Look at me! You're dead! You're dead!" Nixie steps out at that, in front of Noah as Donovan is hauled away.

It was her way, something she was good at. Killing a person's words with a look. Donovan might've been about to say more, but he froze up when he saw the look in her eyes. She knows they weren't glowing. Ever since she'd figured out that it generally happened when she was protecting someone she cared about, or when she was extremely pissed, she'd worked to control that.

That in particular came much easier to her than her need to work on being able to stay separated from Jordan.

Noah puts a hand on her shoulder, and then sighs and asks, "Can anyone tell me, why the hell Parrish isn't back yet?"

She spins to look at him at that, and then asks, "Where's Jordan?" "Nixie…" "Where's Parrish?" Noah insisted that, at least while in the office, she refer to him as either deputy or Parrish. Yeah, she wasn't so great about following that rule. Not that anyone else seemed to mind. It was sort of a known fact that of all the deputies, Jordan was her favorite. Given all the time she spent at the department, no one really found it odd that she had a favorite.

That didn't stop Noah from trying to enforce that rule upon her; even if he knew it was a lost cause. And he was about to tell her that Jordan was probably just spending extra time with a noise complaint civilian, when some muffled static broke through over the radio. "Dispatch… Off… Officer…" It was all Noah caught, but Nixie's stomach twisted uncomfortably at the tone of Jordan's voice over the radio. Looking up at Noah, she says, "We need to go after him. I… I think he's hurt."

Noah looks at her for a moment, and then nods and says, "Grab your bike. Let's go."

Meanwhile, Jordan is leaning up against a metal shelf, trying to stay conscious. He's not really sure he's succeeding though, since Lydia appears in front of him. A banshee appearing in his hallucination. That can't be good.

" _Jordan. I'm here. I'm right here. Stay with us."_ Us? He's about to try to ask who 'us' is, when Nixie is suddenly next to her, looking down at him. Bending down to his level, she kisses his forehead, his temple, over his eyes, the corner of his mouth, and then says, " _Stay with me Jordan. Please. Don't leave me."_ _"I… I won't…"_

"Parrish? Parrish!"

Noah had told her to stay outside. But at the sound of urgency in his voice, she damn near broke the handle on the door as she scrambled out and raced inside. She followed her feeling, which somehow almost seemed like a line for her to follow at this point, and found them in the basement.

Her heart literally stopped beating at the sight of Jordan slumped against the metal shelves, his eyes rolling back in his head, the gashes and gaping wounds bleeding and open in his chest. Smoke was still coming off of him and out of his wounds, as though they were being cauterized.

Hurrying the rest of the way to him, falling by his side and holding his face in her hands, she tilts it up and says, "Jordan. Jordan please. Wake up. Honey, wake up." She shakes him a little, and his eyes briefly flutter as though to open, but he slumps again, mumbling something about staying with somebody.

Not exactly the most promising response, but it's better than nothing, and she'll take it.

She helps Noah carry him up and out of the house, and then they rush with him to the hospital, to the morgue part of the building, where Melissa is waiting with a cleaned off table and an empty room. Laying him down, Nixie keeps her hands on him, running her fingers gently through his hair, while Melissa and Noah talk.

She snaps her head up when Melissa comments, "I thought you said you were going to keep him on desk duty." "That was on purpose?" They both look at her, to which Noah sighs and says, "Yes. Until we know more about…" "He's your best deputy, and more than that, he's never actually hurt anyone, except the person who tried to burn him alive."

Shaking her head, she says, "He deserves better than that." Noah sighs, and then says, "It was just a minor noise complaint." Melissa looks him over and asks, "He's not on fire is he?" Nixie shakes her head and says, "The room was cold, all except for him." Melissa nods and says, "Then maybe this is good. Maybe it's part of his healing process." Nixie nods, finding that little tidbit relieving if nothing else.

She gasps though when Jordan suddenly jerks upright, growling and eyes glowing as he rights himself and hops off the table. Noah's first reaction, to Nixie's horror, is to pull out his gun and have it aimed at Jordan while keeping Melissa behind him. "NO!"

She rounds the table to stand between the gun and Jordan. Noah flicks his gaze to her and says, "Nixie, you need to step back. He might…" "He's not dangerous! He never has been! He's not going to hurt anyone! Just put the damn…"

Warm arms wrap around her, one firmly around her waist, and the other across her chest and locking onto her opposite shoulder. His face is buried in her neck the next moment, and Nixie's eyes widen slightly in surprise before she sighs and asks, "Jordan?" "I'm alright." He kisses her neck, tugging a little at the skin. She knows it's for himself right now, to affirm she's there in his arms and that the world is on it's right side again. Still… it takes everything in her to not close her eyes and sigh or give a small moan at the feeling.

When he loosens his grip, she turns in his arms and hugs him tightly, hiding her own face against his neck. He holds her back just as tightly, and then sighs and looks up as Melissa asks, "You alright deputy?" He ponders all of that for a moment, and then leans back from Nixie to look at himself. Some of his blood is now smudged on her jacket, but Nixie doesn't care. She reaches forward to touch where his scars had been. Now nothing is there, except the blood staining his skin to show that he had in fact been injured.

Then she jerks her head up when he says, "Scott." He looks down at her anxious face, and then to the Sheriff and he says, "We need to find Scott."

As soon as Melissa is certain that he's stable, which she doesn't take a long time checking considering it's her son that they apparently need to find, Jordan explains about the werewolf he found, how huge he was, and about his claws. "They were different. Twice the size of Scott's. They… they looked more like talons." Nixie leans back and looks down at her own hand. She had talons.

Jordan takes her hand in his though and says, "Not like yours." He offers her a gentle smile, and then turns back to Melissa when she says, "If that's the worst part, that doesn't sound too bad." Jordan nods, "It's worse. They did something to me." When Noah looks at him confused, Jordan explains, "I don't know how to describe it other than it felt as if the life was being drawn out of me through them. Through the claws."

"Talons." All three look at Nixie as she makes that gentle comment. She was staring off at a wall, only half a part of the conversation. Jordan grips her shoulders though, pulling her back. "Hey. Not like yours." "Are you sure he was a werewolf?" "Positive." "How?" "Because his face was shifted, the same way Scott's and Liam's do." "But I've never…" "Yes you have. When you punched Peter Hale in the face." "But…"

Jordan grips her chin gently in his fingers and says, "They were not like yours. Yours match your scales. Yours are only a little longer than Scott's claws. Yours don't glow neon blue. And yours actually look elegant and beautiful. His looked grotesque and… almost like they weren't even meant to be a part of him." He gives her a firm stare until she finally relaxes and nods. Then he turns back to Melissa who asks, "And… now he's looking for Scott?" Jordan nods and says, "Which got me thinking about what this guy can do. The rule is you have to kill an alpha to steal their power, right?"

Melissa nods, but says, "I think it's different for Scott though. Didn't Deaton…" She looks to Nixie for confirmation, and Nixie nods and says gently to Jordan, "You can't steal a true alpha's power." Jordan looks down at her, and then says grimly, "I think this guy can."

Nixie pales slightly at his words, and then snaps her head towards the door. "Liam!" The boy in question pauses outside the door, and then sighs and steps inside. "Um… yeah?" "You wait for me." Turning to Melissa, she says, "I'll find him. If he's not at the school, he's with Kira. I have a jacket of hers in my bike, so I can find her scent if I have to and so can Liam."

She turns to go, but Jordan catches her arm. "Jordan… I…" "I know." That doesn't stop him from pulling her back in for a kiss.

She knows Noah has purposefully turned his gaze away. She knows Melissa, in spite of everything, is probably grinning at the two of them. Jordan's hands find her waist and squeeze as he holds her, his warm hands sending chills up her spine. Liam tries to clear his throat, but Nixie pays him no mind. Her fingers run through Jordan's hair until he finally pulls back from her.

Brushing his nose against hers, he says, "Come back to me. You understand?" And Nixie smiles and says, "Always." He actually grins at that, and then releases her reluctantly as she hurries over to Liam.

As soon as they reach the school, Nixie's head jerks as she hears the slashing of claws. Liam darts to follow, but Nixie shoves his shoulder and says, "Find Stiles and Malia. Get help! Go!" He doesn't question her. He just runs as fast as he can.

Nixie turns and finds her way to the underpass, making it out of the rain and gasping at the at least seven foot giant of a werewolf that is attacking Scott and Kira. And Jordan was right. His talons weren't like hers.

Scott's already tossed and rolling on the ground. Kira pulls out her belt, turning it into a sword, and then takes him on while Nixie rushes to Scott. "I'm alright. Help her." So Nixie jumps back up and charges at him, talons out, silver eyes glowing, and teeth slightly elongated. She wasn't sure if there would ever be more to her transformation than that. If there was, it wouldn't come until she'd officially turned eighteen.

Regardless, her talons are like steel, and rip through his arm when he swings it down to try and crack Kira's skull. He roars and manages to shove Kira aside, but Nixie is still on him. Slashing at his chest. She kicks his legs out from under him, and then sails down on him, clawing at his face and saying, "You should've left my deputy alone."

That when his big ass talons find her back, digging in and scrapping through her skin. The roar that leaves her in pained, like that of a dinosaur almost, or a pterodactyl if you want to be really specific. Then he throws her off and into the wall nearby.

"True Alpha? Where's your power Scott?"

Scott jumps to attention, shifted and ready to fight. "Who are you?" "A devoted fan. Show me the man who took down Deucalion and broke the Argents. I came for that alpha. Come on!" And Scott goes after him, but even when hurt, the man just seems to keep coming. Kira and Nixie both charge him again, Nixie going as far as to climb up his back and wrap her arms around his neck in an attempt to choke him out.

He grabs her arms and pries them off, though it takes all of his effort and provides Kira with the opportunity to lay a few more good blows. But he eventually breaks her grip and throws her off and into the wall again, soon followed by Kira.

"And I didn't come just to claim your status." And just as he's about to lay another blow to Scott, Nixie jerks when she hears another growl from the other side of the underpass. The new werewolf snarls and attacks the werewolf with them. But even he isn't a match.

Nixie isn't sure why, but she doesn't like him. He appeared too suddenly, too perfectly timed. And… well, she just doesn't like him.

The werewolf's claws begin glowing, and he shoves them into Scott's chest. And for a brief moment, she thinks she's about to lose another friend. Scrambling to her feet again, blood staining the ground heavily around her, she slashes at his back and shouts, "LET HIM GO!" The wolf's free hand wraps around her throat, squeezing harshly. Her scales, which rarely ever come out, shift beneath her skin, harden her position beneath his hand and claws, and prevent him from even so much as bruising her windpipe.

That doesn't take the sting out of hitting the pavement again when he throws her harshly to the side, right as Malia, Stiles, and Liam all burst onto the scene, snarling and growling too. Stiles rushes to her side to help her up, and they both watch as Scott's eyes glow again, and he breaks the wolf's arm, tears off his talons, and then offers him the choice to stay and be broken some more, or run.

Stiles can't help it. He says, "I'd run."

Then comes the meet and greet with Theo, whom Nixie doesn't remember in the slightest. She feels a little better though when Stiles immediately starts questioning why the hell he's suddenly here.

"We haven't seen this kid in years. You don't find that highly suspicious?" Nixie shoots her hand up and says, "I do." Stiles puts an arm around her shoulders, but then instantly pulls back when she cringes. Pulling his jacket tighter around her body, she looks at everyone and says, "I'll be alright. Jordan can fix it when I see him later. Or Melissa, if he thinks I should see her. Moving on. Highly suspicious."

Scott rolls his eyes and says, "I'm kind of more concerned about the guy who just tried to kill me."

Malia's phone goes off, and everyone instantly pauses. A brief silence, and then Malia says, "I'm in." Stiles hugs her tight, and then Malia looks to Nixie and says, "I passed." Nixie nods and then hugs her too, ignoring every other pain as Malia hugs her back just as tight. Stiles sputters and tries to make Malia loosen her grip a little, but Nixie doesn't care. It's worth it.

"Thank God. Where have you guys been? The whole senior class is here." Everyone turns as Lydia approaches them. She gives them all a look and then asks, "Are we doing this or not?" Everyone nods and laughs, and as Lydia takes Nixie's arm in hers, she asks, "What happened?" "I'll tell you after. Promise. Let's enjoy this right now." "Right."

As they're all sighing their initials, Malia pauses as she tries to decide which last name to put. Nixie stops too, because she has the same issue to face. The world knows her as Nixie Haven. And she loved the last name she chose for herself.

But she was a Bennett. Her mother's last name was still Bennett. And even though her mother was a patient that actually belonged in Eichen House… she wasn't ashamed of her mother. It wasn't her fault that her brain… well, snapped. And right up until the point where she actually couldn't be trusted to take care of Nixie… she had done everything she could for her daughter.

Malia puts a T for her last initial, and Nixie smiles as she finally writes N. B. for hers. Stiles smiles at her gently as they make way for Scott, who puts his initials, and Alison's initials. It was bittersweet, but what Stiles said was true. She would've been there with them. Lydia wrapped Nixie in a hug and said, "She still is." Nixie hugs her back, and then they head off back down the stairs.

As soon as Lydia is informed of the attack, she pulls Nixie aside and demands to see the damage. Covering her mouth at the sight of the gashes, she says, "You have to tell…" "Lydia, I'm going to see Jordan right now. Even if I didn't want to tell him, he'd see it for himself." Turning to her as she pulls the jacket back on, she smiles and says, "I'll be alright. This just adds to the collection."

Lydia gives her a look, and Nixie shrugs before hugging her tight and saying, "I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" "Yeah." "Alright. Night Lydia." "Goodnight Nixie."

At Jordan's apartment, even though it was well past midnight, he had prepared some chopped up steak bites and greens for them to eat when Nixie arrived. He knew she might be hungry, and it also gave him something to do while waiting for her. Aside from pace.

When she walked in, he sighed in relief and asked, "Scott?" "He's fine." Jordan breathed another sigh of relief, but then jerked his attention back to her when she sighed and said, "I'm… well, not as fine."

She ends up on the counter in his bathroom for the next hour, Jordan tending to her wounds. "These are pretty deep." "I know. I've had worse though." Jordan pauses, and then sighs and says, "I know. Doesn't make this any easier." When he's done, Nixie turns around and says, "Sorry."

He stares at her for a moment, and then gingerly runs one finger purposefully down her side and ribs. She giggles and says, "Don't." Jordan grins, and then pulls her in close and says, "I don't expect you to be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. I meant that knowing you've had worse didn't make it any easier for me to be happy about that guy just getting to run off."

Nixie smiles and hugs him tight, and then sighs when he starts kissing her neck. He tugs at the skin, smiling when she moans softly at the attention. "Jordan…" He hums against her in response, and then kisses the corner of her mouth before whispering, "I love you." "I love you too." And they stand there kissing for a good while. At least until Nixie's stomach grumbles and reminds her that she's hungry.

Laughing, she pulls away and says, "Um… I guess…" "I'll put the plates in the microwave. Come on and have a seat."

Though they hadn't planned on her staying at his house that night, what with it being a school night now and all, she didn't want to be away from him and he didn't want to let her go either. So she texted Noshiko to let her know, and then crawled into bed next to him.

She could've been beaten, broken, and knocked around twenty different ways to Sunday, and so long as she was in his arms, she swears she would still always be able to find the most peaceful rest she'll ever have.

* * *

So, here is chapter 1! For those wondering, there will be a total of 10 chapters for this half of the season. Hope you're enjoying so far. Chapter 2 soon to follow.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 2: Episode 5x2

She didn't want to wake up the next morning. Jordan was so warm, she curled herself tighter around his body and tried to snuggle in deeper and go back to sleep, in spite of the alarm on her phone ringing incessantly.

The sound stops after a moment or two more, when Jordan reaches over and hits the snooze alarm for her. Wrapping an extra arm around her waist, he holds her tight even as he whispers, "You should probably hop in the shower." To any other woman, that would probably sound sexy, and the first few times he'd said it, it had made her grin, she admits that. But it stopped being sexy when, after every time he said it, he also never joined her.

Yeah, she's pictured that scenario, and kind of wants it to happen before she turns eighteen. But she knows that's not an option. Jordan is waiting for her to be of age before they do anything more than just kiss and touch. She supposes she should consider herself lucky that he's seen her half undressed already. Sure, that's only because he needs to attend to her wounds, but it's something, and she'll take it.

Sighing against him, she says, "I don't want to." "I know. I don't want you to either." She smiles at that, pressing a kiss against his chest before asking, "And why is that?"

One warm hand slips under the back of her shirt, gently running over the left side of her back, where the gashes didn't hit. Nixie sighs and then shivers when his other hand moves over her side to her hip, splaying out there and holding onto her both delicately and fiercely at the same time.

She finds herself on her back after a moment, Jordan kissing her neck languidly before dropping down. Lifting her shirt enough to see her stomach, he kisses all over the skin there, dropping to her hips. He tugs her pajama shorts down just enough for the sensitive points of her hips to be exposed, and then starts kissing them too. And Nixie can feel his grin when her hands reach for his hair and run aimlessly through it.

He never leaves hickeys on her neck. That would be something too worrisome for her to go to school and deal with. Not to mention if Noah ever saw it, they'd both be in for the most embarrassing hour long lecture of their lives. But her hips… those she could hide, and so that was where he was focusing his attention right now, pulling harshly against the skin until he could release it with a soft pop.

Nixie holds onto him as he finishes, and he makes his way back up her body gently until he's at her lips. Kissing the corner of her mouth, he sighs and says, "You know why? I love having you here." "And I love being here." He groans at that, to which Nixie laughs and says, "Hey. What's that about?" "You always make it nearly impossible to let you up out of bed." She laughs again, pulling another smile to his face as he pulls back to look at her. She cups his neck in one hand, sliding around to mess with his hair again, and then pulls him down for a kiss.

She'd meant it to be quick, she really had. But the only reason they stop, aside from soon needing to breathe, is because her alarm starts going off again. Nixie huffs in disapproval, but leans up to kiss Jordan's cheek anyway and says, "Now I really have to get in the shower."

Jordan nods, and moves so he's not trapping her with his arms anymore. She rolls out of bed, tugs her shirt down a little, and then turns the conversation to something more serious as she asks, "I didn't get blood in the bed did I?"

Jordan glances at the sheets and says, "No." "Good." "I'll come in when you're finished and bandage those again." "Thanks Jordan." "Always Nixie." She smiles at him, and then heads for the bathroom across the hall.

Flopping back onto the bed, Jordan wonders if she really truly understands just how hard she makes it for him to let her leave. He knows she's the dragon, and it's her that needs his physical presence more than he specifically needs hers. That doesn't change the fact that he wants to be around her as often as he can.

It could also have something to do with the fact that, half of the time they are together, they can't actually look like a couple. But more to the point, he just likes holding and keeping her in his arms. Especially when she's hurt. He doesn't like letting her run off to do normal day activities when she should be resting, her dragon nature be damned. She heals, yes, but slower than the rest. And unlike the others, and even him, she'll have scars. It's a wonder that when she changes in the locker room, people don't ask if she was attacked by a rapist or something.

That thought catches him off guard, and he decides to ask her how no one notices when they're changing. And with that, he too gets out of bed and starts working on breakfast. Ever since he'd started dating her, he taken to making breakfast. He hadn't eaten breakfast usually beforehand.

Then one day last year she'd taken the morning to cook for him and explain that not eating breakfast was incredibly bad for you. He knows he could still not eat breakfast and she wouldn't really mind. But she eats breakfast, and so now he eats breakfast. And besides, he doesn't really mind either way.

When she steps into the kitchen with him, he turns to see her holding the aid kit he keeps in the bathroom, and holding her bra against her chest. It's a common stance for her whenever she's hurt on her back. Leading her to the sink, he takes out the cleaning supplies and checks the wound for dirt or any sign of infection. Then he reapplies the bandages like he had last night, and clips her bra at the back for her.

Nixie sighs and says, "Thanks." "Always." Which was _always_ his response to her. She would say 'thanks' or 'thank you' and he was say 'always'. Because it's true. He would always be there to help her with whatever she needed.

Kissing the curve of her neck as she slides her shirt up her arms, he smiles as she hums in approval before she says, "You're going to make me late." "I wouldn't dream of it." "Yes you would." He chuckles against her skin, kisses her again, and then helps her pull the shirt over her head and down her sides, letting his fingers brush against her skin as he tugs it down.

Nixie leans back into him for a moment, and then says, "I guess I won't be coming back here until Friday."

They had talked about that over the last few weeks of summer. With it being the school year and all, they both thought it would be better if she didn't stay at his house on weeknights. It made more sense for her to be at Kira's. Then somedays, she could ride with Kira to school to save on gas money, whereas she couldn't ride with Jordan. She'd only done that once last year, and that was at Stiles' request that someone please go and get her from running to school in the rain.

Well, and the night when he'd gone to disarm a bomb, but as that wasn't school hours, neither of them count that.

Turning in his arms to face him, she smiles and says, "We'll be fine. Right?" "You're the one I'm more worried about, but yes. We'll be fine. And I suspect you'll probably still be down at the station quite a bit, so I'd say we have nothing to worry about." "Right." He grins at her, and then says, "Better let me get back to the stove. Don't want the sausage to burn." "Okay."

As she settles onto her bike later, pulling her helmet on her head, she turns as Jordan comes up beside her. Pulling her helmet off, she asks, "Everything alright?" "You need this?" He hands her a textbook, and she nods and says, "Thanks." "Always." And then he kisses her, slipping his tongue past her lips, and she moans into his mouth before wrapping her arms around his neck.

When he pulls back, tugging her bottom lip gently as he goes, he smiles and says, "I'll see you later Nixie." "Oh absolutely." He chuckles at that, and she grins before winking and sliding her helmet back on. Then she waves and takes off from his garage and down the road towards school.

* * *

She's just getting inside when she pauses outside of Natalie Martin's office. The girl inside, Tracy, is coughing and hacking, and then appears to start choking.

Hurrying inside, she glances at Natalie over Tracy's head, and then puts a hand on her back and says, "Breathe. Tracy, you need to breathe."

Natalie jumps out of the way when the girl pukes up black sludge. And then she picks up what looks like a feather from the sludge. Nixie eyes it in complete bafflement while Tracy asks, "Is this common?" Nixie glances at Natalie, who is shaking her head in confusion, unsure of what to say.

"Hey. Tracy? Look at me." Tracy turns to look at Nixie, who smiles gently and says, "You're okay now. You're okay." It was another of her talents, though she's not sure if it's dragon related or not. But everyone in her pack felt better around her, less sad or filled with anxiety. Even Stiles, who was always in some sort of constant state of anxiety type feeling. So when Nixie helped Tracy stand up and then hugged her tight, it wasn't surprising when Tracy slumped as though immensely relieved.

Natalie watched them for a moment, until Nixie nodded and said, "I'll walk her to class; make sure she gets there okay." Natalie nods and says, "Alright. And Tracy, we'll continue this discussion about college applications later, yeah?" Tracy nods, and then picks up her bag and walks with Nixie down the hall.

* * *

As Jordan gets to the station, he sees Stiles talking to his father in the office, and sighs. First day back at school, and Stiles has apparently already found a new mystery for the pack to solve.

Not that he's really surprised. Nixie had told him to expect it even. And no, not everything Stiles thought to check in on related to the supernatural, but Nixie would always stand behind him when he wanted to dig deeper into something. They were both very dedicated to figuring out everything that might go wrong in this town, and dealing with it themselves if necessary.

What does surprise him though, is when the Sheriff calls out, "Parrish!" Sitting up straighter, he asks, "Yes Sheriff?" He and Stiles both approach his desk, and Noah sighs and says, "Give me a full background check of the Raeken family." Jordan nods, and then glances at Stiles when his father leaves, but he doesn't move. "Oh, I'm waiting. Definitely waiting."

Jordan sighs and moves to the computer to start. It'll be a miracle is Stiles doesn't end up crawling over his back to watch by the time this is over.

When it's finished, Jordan hands a copy of the speeding ticket he found to Stiles. Pointing, he says, "Do not tell anyone, or your father, that I actually handed that to you." Stiles smiles that ridiculous smile of his, and nods before bursting out the doors of the station to head for school. Jordan just sighs. Why the hell were they investigating a kid who just got back to town?

* * *

"Seventeen." Nixie walks up to Stiles and Malia and asks, "Seventeen what?" Stiles turns to her and says, "Seventeen speeding tickets is what I'd have if my dad didn't get me out of them." Nixie nods and asks, "Why are we talking about speeding tickets? Is Malia worried about that part of the test?"

Malia shakes her head, and then Stiles explains about getting the background check on Theo and only finding a speeding ticket. Nixie frowns and looks at it too, and then up at Malia when she says, "I don't know Stiles. I mean, I see why you're worried. He's really hot." Nixie closes her eyes and covers her mouth to hide laughing as Malia describes just why Stiles should be worried about this guy.

Stiles gives her a look as he says, "Thank you. Because I do. Now more than ever." Nixie puts an arm around him and says, "Don't even think it Stiles. You're way hotter than he is." Malia gives Nixie a look, but Stiles just grins and chuckles before they both look to Malia when she asks, "Want me to torture him?" "No."

Nixie listens as Stiles explains how they have to catch Theo in the act of… well, whatever it is he's up to. And Nixie nods and squeezes Stiles tighter before saying, "I'm game." "I knew you would be. I'll keep you posted." "Ten-four." They all glance at him as he steps out of a white van that pulls up to the school. And he waves, like maybe they're already old friends. Malia asks, "Why are you so suspicious of this guy?" Stiles sighs and says, "Because I remember Theo from fourth grade, okay? That's not Theo."

Nixie hugs him tighter and says, "Someone should make sure he knows that if he hurts any of you guys, I'll kill him myself before Malia gets the chance to torture him." Stiles smiles again and says, "If he didn't already hear you, I'll make sure to give him the message." "Good."

And with that, they all turn to head inside the school, and Stiles presses a brotherly kiss to the top of Nixie's head before letting her go to her locker to trade out books for her first class. That's when she hears Liam and Mason heading down the hall, Mason going on about the book he bought talking about… well, supernatural stuff. Myth and folklore and things like that.

As the two are about to head into class, Nixie catches Mason's elbow and tugs him towards her. He looks at her with a gentle smile. Yeah, they're sort of friends. Well, he's Liam's friend and so he knows she looks out for Liam and then him kind of by association. She smiles back, and then says, "Look. I know… I know what happened last year, and… I get that… that you know about a few things that most people don't know about."

"Yeah. You included. Bad ass ninja or something." At her confused look, Mason explains, "Liam told me about how you saved his ass on the roof of the hospital last year." Nixie nods at that, and then puts a hand on his shoulder and says, "Look, I'm not saying stop researching or for you to stop completely bugging him. But… maybe ease up just a tad. Alright?"

Mason looks at her for a moment, but then nods and says, "Alright. Yeah. Is he… is he alright?" "Yeah. And he needs you as a friend. So ease up. Don't make him feel like he needs to shut you out." Mason nods again, and then heads into class where Liam is having problems of his own now with the apparent new girl in school that he already knows.

Lydia finds Nixie in the hall afterwards and says, "Did you see Jordan?" "Yes. And yes I'm bandaged. And yes… I stayed there all night." Lydia smirks, and Nixie says, "It's not even like that." "I know, but I can dream for you can't I?" Nixie just laughs and follows her into class, taking the seat next to her.

That's when Scott walks in and takes the seat next to Kira. Kira and Lydia both look at each other, but Nixie isn't surprised. If he wants to be a doctor or a vet, this class will be important for him. But Lydia and Kira are making eyes at each other now, which Nixie has to cover her mouth to avoid laughing at. Then Kira asks, "Scott? Are you in the right class?" "AP Biology."

Nixie actually pinches Lydia's arm slightly when she asks, "Do you know what AP stands for?" Scott grins and says, "Advanced placement." And behold, he has a book filled with notes, highlights… he's been working. Nixie knows he has because she helped him with some of it. He's always borrowed her notes for certain things. The way she highlights makes sense to him. So he got her to help him over the summer to work on the textbook for this class.

Still doesn't help anybody when Mrs. Finch decides to intimidate them right off the bat. Nixie understands to an extent, but then she almost seems to target Scott.

When Mrs. Finch happens to look back in her direction, she's surprised to see the narrow-eyed gaze now penetrating through her skull. Nixie takes a little pride in shocking her with that, and then makes a note of the test they're going to have tomorrow.

When Nixie finds Scott again, he's sitting on the steps with an overly contemplative look on his face. Sitting down next to him, she says, "You know she's just trying to be intimidating right. And I mean, to everyone, not just you." Scott looks over at her and smiles a little before saying, "Yeah. I know. But she has a point. I mean… what if I'm not…" "You are. You know it. I know it. We all know it. That's all that matters. Don't worry about what Mrs. Finch and her beady eyes seem to be saying."

Scott chuckles and says, "Thanks by the way. I saw her jump when she looked at you again." Nixie shrugs and says, "Just looking out for my alpha."

They both laugh, and then turn when Stiles says, "Hey! You two! You're coming with me. Come on." Scott and Nixie look at each other, and then Scott says, "We've got a free period." Stiles nods and says, "I know. I know everyone's schedules. I have a free period too. And so does Theo Raeken. Let's go." Nixie rises immediately, and Scott follows.

* * *

Mason is mentioning all of the supernatural stuff to Liam again, and Liam is about to mention focusing on the soccer team itself, knowing it'll distract him, when Mason says, "And Nixie… that girl is…"

He pauses when Liam snaps around to face him, can sense the threat about to come, so he quickly says, "Nothing bad. I'm not saying anything bad. But that is exactly the kind of stuff I mean." Liam leans back and relaxes, but asks, "What do you mean?" "All of you… you know… in that… in that group of yours. You all just… you flock around her." "We don't flock." "Look, you know what I mean. If someone mentions her and you think they're going to speak ill about her, you snap to attention to defend her. When she's around, you relax. Dude, I've never seen you relax so easily around anyone. And the rest of your crew is the same way."

After a pause, Liam sighs and says, "Look, it's the first day at school. Shouldn't you be thinking about other things? Like… like the soccer team?" Mason rolls his eyes and asks, "What do you think I'm going to do? Follow them out to the field and watch them practice while I pretend to study?" And because Liam really doesn't want to discuss this anymore, he says, "It's warm out. They're probably gonna be shirtless."

It only takes him a moment longer to head out and tell Liam he'll see him in physics.

* * *

Stiles wants to know how Theo became a werewolf, and Scott agrees that it's a good idea. So Theo goes through the story of how he was skateboarding and was bit after he crashed hard one time.

Then he mentions that alpha being killed by two of his own betas. Twins. Stiles and Nixie look at each other, and they know exactly which twins he's talking about. Now it's just a matter of whether that's actually true, or if he knows just enough about what's gone on in Beacon Hills to know that it's a good cover story. If he knew enough, then he'd know it wasn't just the alpha, but at least the majority of the pack that was killed in order for the twins to become the alphas that they once were.

"Scott, listen to my pulse. I'm telling the truth." Stiles turns and says, "Right, or you just know how to steady your heart rate while lying your ass off." "Why would I lie?" "Because maybe you're not who you say you are." Theo looks to argue with Stiles, but then snaps his eyes to Nixie. Smiling a little, he asks, "Whoa. What is she?" Stiles turns to her, and then gently wraps an arm around her and says, "Eyes Nix."

She closes them, and then opens them again to reveal blue. She still glares at Theo though, who turns from her to talk to Scott again about their need of inhalers and how Scott had explained it all to him one time when he was going to be taken to the ER.

It's a good story. It's a heartfelt and emotionally tugging story. The kind of story that gets told in movies by a main character, the story that makes everyone see them different and sort of fall in love with them, like the story finally helps you understand them a little better.

It's too movie-esque. Nixie still doesn't like him. Stiles doesn't either. But the bell rings, and Theo heads off so he's not late. Scott then gives them both a look and Stiles says, "No, don't give me that look." Nixie nods and says, "Something's not right about him. I… I don't know what…"

Scott sighs and says, "We have to give people the benefit of the doubt sometimes." Stiles flails and says, "Not this time. Alright? I'm right. There's something off about him. I can feel it. Nixie can feel it. That should tell you something right there. She doesn't trust him. I don't trust anyone that Nixie is already unwilling to trust."

Nixie shrugs when Scott looks at her now. She couldn't explain why, but she didn't. She didn't like Theo Raeken. She didn't trust him. Scott then looks to both of them and says, "Look, Lydia's the psychic. Alright? Not you, and not you either." Nixie narrows her gaze at him, and Stiles points out as he walks away, "Lydia's not a psychic, she's a banshee. Okay? There's a difference."

Stiles puts an arm around Nixie again, and then asks, "You really don't trust him?" "No, I don't. I don't like him." "Why?" She frowns and says, "I… I don't know why really. And it's not just because you don't like him. I didn't like him the first moment I saw him, before you even said anything." Stiles nods and says, "We'll chalk it up to some awesome dragon-type, bull-shit detector for now. You up for helping me find more on this guy later?" "Absolutely." "Great."

They head out at that, and then Nixie gets a text from Lydia, asking her to meet at the front of the school. Heading down the steps, she asks, "What's up?" "I need your boyfriend to do me a favor." "Lydia…" "It's… it's for that Tracy girl. She's… she's having…"

Nixie just slides into the passenger seat of the car, and then says, "I saw her throw up this morning." "So you know!" "I don't know anything really. Just that puke doesn't usually look like toxic motor oil, and unless she has some weird fetish, I seriously doubt she should be puking up bird feathers." "My mom is trying to chalk that up to her eating her own pillow." Nixie rolls her eyes, and then says, "Well, let's go." "Thanks for coming." "You know you don't need me for this right. Jordan would help without me present."

Lydia smirks and says, "Yeah. But it's fun trying to find better ways to make you two spend more time together." "We're going to ask him to check on Tracy right? Not exactly ideal, romantic, date conditions." "Baby steps Nix. Baby steps." Nixie just laughs as Lydia pulls them out of the parking lot and heads them towards the station.

Inside, Jordan looks up as the door opens, and then rises to his feet when Lydia steps inside and walks up to his desk, Nixie following behind her. He nods to both of them, and asks, "How can I help you?" Nixie nods back, and then Lydia explains how she'd like for him to check out Tracy's room for signs of a break in or unusual disturbances, or… something.

Jordan glances at Nixie, who shrugs. It's what she does when she doesn't want to make the decision for him, doesn't really want to influence whether he'd go or not. He gives her a small smile, and then grabs his coat and says, "Alright. You lead and I'll follow."

* * *

At Tracy's, he checks her windows and says, "I don't see any signs of an attempted forced entry. The latch seems okay." He turns and asks, "You said something about birds Tracy?" She nods, and says, "The bird was at the skylight. The one that woke me up." She trembles as she remembers her nightmare, and then turns into Nixie and hugs her.

Nixie isn't surprised and just holds her back while Jordan asks, "Can I take a look?" Tracy nods, and Nixie runs a hand up and down her back soothingly while Jordan grabs a chair and stands on it to check out the skylight.

Nixie looks up when his tone changes as he asks, "Tracy, you said the skylight was sealed for weatherproofing?" Tracy nods and turns and says, "Yeah. Why?" And Jordan pushes it open with ease, no effort on his part at all really. He glances back down at them, and Tracy looks even more panicked then she had before. She turns back into Nixie, who holds her tighter while Jordan stands up taller and looks out onto the roof.

Lydia watches him and asks, "Anything?" He glances back down at her, and then turns to Tracy again. Nixie meets his worried gaze and knows he saw something up there that most definitely shouldn't be, and would most definitely give Tracy reason to go into a full fledged panic. Shaking his head, he says, "No. Nothing."

But Nixie knows it wasn't nothing.

She was about to join Lydia and Jordan outside, finally having calmed Tracy down. That's when Stiles called her phone. Nixie looks up at Lydia and Jordan standing by his truck, and then answers and asks, "Stiles?" "Hey, so I found something. Well, sort of. The others don't think it's something." "They rarely do. What is it?" "A signature. Or another one, you know. I found his dad's recent signature on his school transfer form to Beacon Hills, and comparing it to the signature on the speeding ticket from years ago, they don't match." "How much of a difference are we talking?" "The garlands don't match, the undulations of the sinuous stroke are totally off. And there is definite signs of a classic criminal tremor."

Nixie nods and asks, "So what are you going to do? Or what do you think?" "I love that you don't have to ask what any of that is. You already know what I said." Nixie smiles and says, "Wouldn't be a very good sidekick if I didn't. So what do you think?" "Somebody isn't someone. And when I finally figure out who's not who they're supposed to be, someone is in serious trouble." Nixie nods and says, "Keep me posted. What are you doing now?" "I'm following him. Liam's with me right now. Do you think you could meet us later if we find something?" "Just let me know and I'll see what I can do." "Thank Nix." "Of course."

Walking over to Lydia, she hears Jordan say, "I can't do anything official right now, but I can come back after my shift tonight and watch the house for a couple of hours." Lydia nods and then links her arm with Nixie's and says, "We'll keep you company." Jordan grins at the two of them and says, "I think I'll be okay." Lydia frowns and says, "But this is your own time. And besides, I just said I was bringing Nixie." "First of all, I wouldn't do it if I didn't think something strange was going on. Second, I owe you both an unscrupulous favor, on top of all the stuff I would simply just do because of Nixie."

Nixie blushes clean to her neck and Jordan smirks before saying to Lydia, "Yeah, I know you brought her because you think she makes it easier to get me to do things. Not gonna say that's wrong, just that it's not entirely accurate since I'd probably end up doing it anyway. And third of all, don't you two have school tomorrow?"

Lydia puts her hands on her hips and says, "First of all, if you're talking about us doing mountains of research to figure out what you are as what you owe us a favor for, we never figured out what was going on with you. Second of all, I can bring you coffee." Nixie seconds that one with a tiny smile and says, "At midnight if we so desire." Jordan smiles in amusement at her, and then looks at Lydia when she adds, "And third of all, we both only have one class tomorrow."

Jordan blinks at that and then looks at Nixie. "What are all the other school books for?" Nixie lifts a finger and says, "Next semester. I'll have a couple more classes next semester." Looking at both of them, he asks, "How can you both only have one class?" Lydia smiles and says, "We had enough credits to graduate last year, but we want to graduate with our friends. So we're taking advanced placement classes together." Jordan knew about the advanced placement, but he hadn't been aware that Nixie didn't even have to attend school this year if she hadn't wanted to.

Raising an eyebrow at her, he grins when she shrugs and says, "What? It's not that big a deal. I'm smart. Only slightly less smart than Lydia. This should not be such a surprise." Jordan points at her, and then looks to Lydia, who is still holding her ground on keeping him company. Finally, he says, "Nixie already knows. But Medium Americano. Black." Nixie nods, and then adds, "How he drinks black coffee, I have no idea. But he'd live off the stuff if it could be put into an IV."

He takes a step towards her, to which she grins and steps back. Lydia laughs at them and says, "Look, I'll go wait in my car. Say goodbye to him." Lydia leaves them at that, and then Nixie says, "Sorry. I forgot to mention my lack of classes. It just… slipped my mind." Jordan nods and says, "Well, with all the other research you've been doing on me and for these advanced placement classes, I didn't even think to ask."

Nixie smiles up at him, and then says, "I'll come with Lydia if I can, but Stiles might need me later. If nothing else, I'll meet you guys here later. Sound good?" "Yeah, but what does Stiles need you for?" "We're trying to look into Theo Raeken." He raises an eyebrow again and asks, "Both of you?" "Well, Stiles is doing most of the looking so far. All I have is my own hunch that we can't trust him." "And why do you think that?"

She frowns again and says, "I don't know. I wish… I wish I could explain it. I just… he doesn't feel right to me." Jordan nods and asks, "Think it's a dragon thing?" "Maybe. But if it is, I have no idea exactly what it is. I just don't like him." Jordan nods and says, "I'll make a note of that." "Good." She glances around them for a moment, and then leans up and quickly kisses him. He smirks a little when she pulls back, and then says, "I'll see you tonight Nixie." "Absolutely."

* * *

"I told you he was up to something." Nixie grins over at Stiles, and then laughs when Liam says, "You and I just spent three hours watching him play video games in his bedroom. He better be out here covering up a mass murder." Nixie turns to him and says, "Careful what you wish for in Beacon Hills." Liam looks at her, and then to Stiles when he says, "Let's find out. You still got his scent?"

Liam points out the footprints, but then immediately starts slowing down. Stiles is about to continue on anyway, but Nixie stops and asks, "Liam? What's wrong?" He looks up at her, and then says, "I forgot. I was supposed to meet Mason at the school gym." Stiles gives him a look and asks, "Okay. Why didn't you just tell him?" "Tell him what?"

Stiles gestures around them and says, "Anything." Liam gives him a look now and says, "I can't just tell him anything." "Why not?" Nixie turns to him and says, "Because Mason doesn't know yet." "Doesn't know what?" Nixie rolls her eyes and says, "Anything. Liam hasn't told him yet." Stiles looks to Liam, and calms down a little and says, "We said it was okay." Nixie nods, but Liam says, "I know, but it's not that easy. It's a lot to accept."

Nixie smiles and says, "He was kidnapped by a berserker last year. A grown man wearing a skull over his head and bones and skins for clothing." Stiles nods and asked, "And he watched my dad blow said berserker up with a landmine. I think the groundwork's been pretty thoroughly laid for acceptance." Liam still seems unsure, so Stiles adds, "Look, Scott and I have been through this before. Okay? More than once. It's always better when they know."

Nixie nods, and as Stiles continues on, she says, "He's right. Even with me and how I used to hide every single time I was really hurt. It's better when they know." Liam nods, but asks, "But what if he freaks out?" Nixie turns to follow Stiles and says, "Mason's already reading about this stuff and believing half of it. I don't think he's going to be scared away from you just because you're a werewolf. Compared to the berserker, that's mild."

"What if he doesn't want to talk to me though? What if he tries to stab me with something silver?" "Silver doesn't actually hurt werewolves." "Or what if…" Nixie and Stiles both stop as they hear the rapid crumbling and ruffling behind them. Turning, they see that Liam has vanished, and there's a giant hole in the ground now. Leaning over it, Nixie asks, "You alright?" Stiles just asks, "What the hell are you doing?" Nixie gives him a look, and he huffs and looks back up, only to freeze and say, "There he is."

Glancing back at them, he says, "Hurry up, stop screwing around." Nixie sighs as he walks off, and says to Liam, "You'll get used to it. He's on a mission right now." "Isn't he always?" "Pretty much. But that's part of what makes him Stiles." Liam nods and looks around for his phone. Nixie watches him pause as he sees all the messages from Mason. "Hey." He looks up at her, and she says, "Mason is a great guy. He's a good friend, and I get the feeling he always will be. It'll be alright."

He nods again, and then hops out of the hole with her help, and they chase after Stiles.

They find Theo on a bridge over the water, and Stiles asks, "Get anything?" Both Nixie and Liam try to catch it, and Liam says, "Soap." Nixie grins and says, "It's nice." Liam nods and adds, "It smells good." Stiles huffs and says, "Not his soap you two knuckleheads. His emotional state. Chemosignals, remember?" Nixie grins at Liam, who smiles back at her before trying again. She could already sense the sad coming off of Theo. Regardless, she still didn't like him. And regardless of what she knew Stiles wanted, this was good practice for Liam. So she waited for him.

"He's sad." Stiles blinks and asks, "He's sad?" Nixie nods when he looks at her for confirmation. And then Liam adds, "It's more like… grief." "Grief?" Stiles looks back to where Theo is standing, and then says, "Oh my God. Go!" Nixie looks at him in surprise and asks, "What? Why?" "Just go! Right now!" She follows him as they hurry away from Theo and back towards the jeep.

"That's the bridge where they found his sister." Liam and Nixie look at each other and Liam asks, "What sister?" Nixie shrugs, but they look to Stiles again when he says, "The one that got lost and died from exposure. He's leaving a flower for her." Liam blinks and says, "Well, that doesn't sound evil."

Stiles says in exasperation, "I know." Nixie grabs him by the back of his shirt and Liam by his arm. Both turn to her and find her glaring up above them. They turn, and there's Theo, standing on a high branch over where they were about to walk.

He jumps down, all dramatic like, and then stands up and asks, "What are you guys doing?"

Liam growls instantly, held back only by Nixie's superior strength keeping him where he is. Theo holds up his hands and says, "Whoa. Why do I get the feeling this kid's tougher than he looks?" Stiles glances back at them, and then says, "Only when we let him off his leash."

Liam knows better than to be offended for himself, but the minute Theo turns to look at Nixie, he snarls again. Nixie grips his arm tighter and then moves to stand in front of him. Making her eyes glow, she knows Theo can sense the threat if he steps closer to them while she's still here.

He turns his attention back to Stiles and says, "We were in little league together. Why are you so suspicious of me?" Stiles holds up the papers and says, "Because of these." He explains to Theo the discrepancies he's found. Theo nods and says, "Huh. Yeah, I guess they do look a little different." "No, they're totally different. Signed by two different people."

Theo gives him a look and asks, "So my dad's not my dad?" Nixie growls, a warning that if he's taking this as a joke, he shouldn't. Theo leans back from her and holds up his hands again. Stiles reaches a hand back towards her, letting her know he's alright.

Then Theo says, "You know Stiles, I came back here for Scott, but I also came back for you." And here he goes again. An all too well-rehearsed sounding speech that's supposed to make the world fall in love with him.

It makes Nixie begin to hate him that much more.

"I know I'm in the right place. I'm meant to be here. I'm meant to be a part of this pack." Nixie glares harder, her talons extending and her teeth lengthening. Stepping closer, she says, "We'll be the judge of that." He stares at her, and then asks in amazement, "Seriously, what is she?" Stiles puts hands on her shoulders and says, "Someone you seriously don't want as an enemy."

By the time they get back to the jeep, Scott is there on his bike waiting for them. Nixie eyes glare a little when he asks, "Find anything?" Stiles gives Nixie's shoulder a squeeze and says, "Nope." And Nixie relaxes a little when Liam says jokingly, "I fell in a hole." He smiles back at her, and then hops in the jeep while Scott asks about where they were. Stiles tries cranking the jeep, but when it won't, he has Liam sit in the seat to turn the ignition when he asks. Nixie gets off her bike and joins them at the hood.

"Stiles?" "Be with you in a sec Scott. Try it!" It won't start. "Stiles." Nixie gives Scott a look while Stiles says, "Yes. Okay, we followed him out here. What do you want me to say? That I'm a stalker, huh? That I'm crazy, totally paranoid? None of this is new information." Nixie puts a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. Scott asks if he'll at least try to give him a chance, and Stiles says he's given a lot of benefit to a lot of people.

"Like Derek? Kira? Liam?" Stiles snaps his attention over and says, "I was right about Peter." Nixie nods, and again when Stiles says, "I bet you still think there's something about him that can be saved." "Maybe." At that, Nixie jerks her head up, and Stiles turns to her at the sudden icy cold feeling that runs down his arm from where her hand rests on his shoulder. "Nix?"

She lets him go, but the cold vibe still seems to come off of her, like she were her own freezer or air conditioner. Scott looks at her too, and she can see the regret enter his face. He wasn't the only one Peter tried to kill. He tried to have Nixie killed too. But worse than that, he tried to make her feel like all the people she cared about in this world had forgotten about her, didn't even need her in the slightest.

She still remembers what that despair felt like. She'd never tried to really describe it to them. She wasn't sure she ever could. But it was devastating, up until the point where they finally brought her back, when Jordan brought her back.

Scott still turns back to Stiles though and asks, "Why can't you trust anyone?" Stiles, still worried about Nix, turns to him angrily for changing the subject and says, "Because you trust everyone!"

His hand slams against something inside his jeep, and Nix jerks to look at his hand. One of his fingers is definitely bent the wrong way.

Scott stares and asks, "Are you okay?" "I'm fine." "You could've broken it." "It's not broken." "Let me see it." "I'm fine." "Let me…"

Stiles turns to Nixie, who tugged on his shoulder and pulled him around. Holding out her hands, she takes his into hers, and tries something.

Stiles feels the cold sensation shoot up his arm from his hand, but not like when she'd nearly frozen his other arm a minute ago. This is a cool and soothing sensation.

Then there's a brief cracking noise, but when Stiles looks down, Nixie has let go of his hand, and he's as good as new. Nixie smiles a little and nods to him before saying, "Wonders never cease." He gives her a small smile, and then they both turn when the jeep starts.

Stiles looks at Scott again, and then hops in to take Liam home.

That's when Liam hops out and comes up to Nixie. "Um… can I ask a favor?" "Anything Liam." "Can you come with me to talk to Mason?" Nixie smiles and says, "Sure. Wait by the bike. I'll be there in a second."

He heads over and grabs the spare helmet. Nixie then turns to Scott, who is waiting by his bike. He smiles and says, "You can take pain?" "Sort of." He tilts his head, but she shakes hers and says, "You had no right to bring up his doubt in Derek, Kira, or Liam. All three were justified." "But…" "Derek, before we got a hold of him and started changing him for the better, was an ass, and that's putting it lightly. Kira… we knew nothing about her, except that she was something. We had no idea what. And yeah, she turned out to be awesome, but we didn't know she was going to be at the time. The folklore states that werewolves and foxes aren't even supposed to get along. So even when we just found out she was a fox, his doubt was justified. And Liam."

Nixie sighs and says, "We love Liam. Now. But we knew even less about him than we did Kira when we brought him into the pack. And yes, you didn't have a choice. And yes, Liam is awesome now and I would die for him in a heartbeat. But Stiles' doubt is still justified. You know what isn't justified? You're blind belief that somehow, someway, every single person we meet deserves the benefit of the doubt. Because this is the real world we live in Scott, and there are people in this world who are just evil, pure and simple. And sometimes there isn't even a reason why. Sometimes they just like being that way."

Stepping back, she says, "And until you can say, with one hundred percent certainty, that someone isn't evil or isn't bad or isn't somehow trying to work against us; you have no rights to question why Stiles might not want to be his best friend right away."

She doesn't wait for his reply. She just turns to her bike, hops on, and waits for Liam to climb on behind her. She slips her gloves on carefully, not wanting to hurt herself on her now broken fingers and make someone worry. She'll heal, and broken bones won't leave scars. In fact, her broken bones might heal faster than any gashes she might ever get. It'll be an experiment, she decides, and with that, she takes off with Liam behind her towards the school.

When they get to the school, Mason is already heading outside. And upon seeing Liam on the back of her bike, he sighs and rolls his head back in a knowing way. Liam scrambles off and says, "Hey. Sorry I'm late." Nixie hops off too, not missing the disappointed tone of Mason's voice when he says, "Oh no, you're not late. You missed it. I worked out. For two hours."

Liam glances at Nixie, who nods, and then he says, "Yeah, I know. I forgot. And I'm gonna tell you why. Actually…" He glances at Nixie again, and so does Mason. She nods again, and Liam says, "I'm… I'm gonna tell you a lot of things. A lot of hard to believe things. Really hard to believe." Mason freezes and says, "There's a wolf." Liam keeps talking, but Nixie jerks her head around to see a black wolf behind them. "No, Liam, there's a wolf, right behind you."

Liam turns, and then states the obvious, "That's a wolf." Nixie lets out a breath and says, "No shit." The wolf growls, and Nixie says, "Run! Inside! Now!" The boys burst through the doors with her at their heels. Mason turns and says, "Come on Nix!"

Aw. He knows her nickname. He'll fit right in.

They run down the halls, but Mason is slower than them. Nixie has to slow her step to make sure she stays behind him in case the wolf catches up. That's when Liam stops and spins around. Mason turns as well when he realizes no one is running with him.

Liam shifts part way and growls at the wolf still running at them. Mason is gaping and gawking, but the wolf is still coming. Liam backs up to protect Mason, but Nixie steps up. Her eyes turn silver, her talons extend, and her teeth lengthen. And for the for the first time she can remember, she can feel two points of pressure on her back near her shoulder blades, like two points where something inside her wants to work it's way out. It doesn't hurt exactly, but it's not normal either.

She ignores it though and lets out a deafening screech of a roar. The wolf draws up short, actually stumbles in his stride, and then takes off in the other direction.

Nixie stands up straight, and then she and Liam both turn to Mason when he comes back down the couple of steps he ran up. Liam sighs as he shifts back, and then says, "There's something I gotta tell you." But Mason… Mason is practically smiling, and says, "You're a werewolf. Both of you."

Nixie straightens and says, "First of all, he's a werewolf. I'm a dragon." Mason's eyes bug even wider, and then she adds, "Second, you were just chased by a wolf that could've eaten you alive. Why the hell are you so happy?" "Because I was right!"

Liam looks at her and shrugs, to which she sighs and says, "He's like the optimistic version of Stiles. I approve. Do you need me?" Liam shakes his head, so she says, "I've got to meet Lydia and Jordan then. Text me if anything, and I mean anything happens. And give him my number." Liam nods and says, "Thanks Nix." "Of course."

* * *

At Tracy's house, Nixie pulls up quietly down the street, not wanting to disturb anyone. That's where she finds Jordan and Lydia standing outside his vehicle.

She's not sure why, but she can't help but feel like they look, well… intimate.

She knows better. Lydia is all about pushing her and Jordan together as much as possible, even sometimes when she shouldn't. Still, as she parks quietly just up the street, she listens in as Jordan says, "As far as I can tell, no one's gone in and no one's come out." Lydia sighs after a moment and says, "Sorry I wasted your time." The thing that makes Nixie pause is when Jordan says teasingly, "Not a total waste."

Lydia smiles at him, and Nixie swears it's her flirting smile.

No. Lydia doesn't have a flirting smile. That's just… that's her smile. Nixie shakes her head and approaches them, tugging her glove on her hand more firmly. She doesn't want anyone freaking out about her broken fingers that she took from Stiles, which Jordan and Lydia most definitely would do, out of anyone.

Jordan turns when he hears her and smiles and holds out his arm. She falls into his side, instantly smiling and feeling more at ease with the world. Lydia grins at them, and then Jordan says, "I'm just glad Tracy's okay." Both girls nod, and then Lydia says, "Well, I'll leave you two alone for a while. See you tomorrow Nix." "Good night Lydia."

Once she's gone, Nixie turns to Jordan and says, "Sorry I'm later than I said. Liam wanted me to get him back to Mason so they could talk about… well, stuff. Now Mason will probably know everything by tomorrow." "Including me?" "What little we know about you, yeah." Jordan looks down at her and says, "Hey. Don't beat yourself up." "We should've found something, anything by now, to tell us what you are."

Jordan rolls his eyes and says, "I don't mind waiting. And besides, I haven't found anything either." Nixie points and says, "You are not as experienced as we are when it comes to trying to discover what new supernatural forces we're dealing with."

Jordan raises an eyebrow and asks, "Is that so?" She backs away when he squeezes her side, laughing as she says, "Yes, that is a fact." He grins at her, and then glances around them before opening the back door on his vehicle. Pushing her towards it, he helps her in, and then closes the door behind himself and locks them. "Jordan? What…"

She squeals when he tickles her sides and hips, falling down into the seat. "Jordan! Quit!" "Nope. You look entirely too stressed." She laughs up at him, and then catches his hands and holds them still against her waist.

He chuckles down at her as she catches her breath, and then pauses and she moves his hands with hers above her head. She lets him go there, but he pins her wrists down with his hands and leans down closer to her mouth. "Nix." "Kiss me please." And he does, laying himself down flat on top of her, warming her cool body with his constantly hot one. He tilts his head to deepen the kiss, and Nixie moans in approval while starting a battle with him that doesn't end for nearly the next thirty minutes.

When she finally turns her head to breathe, Jordan trails down her throat with kisses, his teeth grazing the skin gently to make her shiver, and then tugging on her sensitive side of her throat to make her melt beneath him.

He leans back, and she opens her eyes to look up at him. He grins down at her, and then kisses her gently before saying, "I love you. Make sure Stiles doesn't get you into trouble any time soon." "I will take extra precautions if possible and when necessary." "Good." He kisses her again, and then leans back and unlocks the doors.

He walks her to her bike, and then says, "Goodnight Nixie." "Night Jordan."

And she takes off back to Kira's, happy and content once again, even with so many new developments and so many things to worry about in the days to come.

* * *

And here is chapter 2! Hope you guys are still enjoying. Chapter 3 will be posted shortly (hopefully). :)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 3: Episode 5x3

Nixie walks into the station and smiles when she hears Noah say in his office, "Oh, I should've got a haircut." She walks past for a moment, heading towards Jordan's desk. He's not sitting there right now, but she leaves a cup of coffee on his desk anyway. Then she heads for the office where Noah is pondering what a terrible idea this date is.

Stepping inside, she smiles and says, "Looking spiffy Noah." He smiles at her and says, "Thank you Nixie, daughter that isn't mine but feels like she should be." Stiles rolls his eyes and says, "Yeah, okay, we got it. They're awesome with compliments. I'm less awesome in that department."

Nixie puts an arm around his shoulders and says, "But you make up for it by being awesome at so many other things." Noah grins at the two of them, and then rolls his eyes when Stiles asks, again, who he's going out with. "I said it before, none of your business. Or yours. Or…" Nixie just winks when he gets ready to say the same to her. She already knows it's Natalie Martin.

Lydia doesn't keep much from her. Like… ever.

Stiles looks at her, and she just shrugs, then back to his dad, who is still grinning, and even more so now because he knows Nix won't say anything. At least not until much later. Stiles makes a face and then says, "I want to know."

That's when Nixie spots Jordan walking through the offices, hauling Donovan with him in shackles. And while the others are still talking about Noah's date, she moves to the door and listens when she hears Donovan jerk away and demand to know what 'reasonable' is.

"Mr. Stewart, are we going to have trouble with your client?" Nixie peeks out to see Jordan watching Donovan very closely, but Mr. Stewart says, "No, Deputy."

Then he looks back at Donovan and says, "They want you for three to five. So why don't we get in the van and discuss a plea bargain that gets you out in two." While Donovan looks like he might ponder that, Jordan glances at his desk to see a hot cup of coffee sitting there. Then he turns to the Sheriff's office and sees Nixie watching them from the doorway, concern etched into her features.

He doesn't smile, because that would be entirely too obvious, but he winks at her before returning to the situation at hand.

That's when Donovan shouts, "Stilinski! Stilinski!" As Noah comes to the door, Nixie moves in front of him to keep him back. But he squeezes her shoulder and says, "They've got him. I'm fine." Coming out though, Nixie steps forward again when Donovan says, "I'm going to kill you."

Noah pushes a hand back to tell her and Scott to keep still, while he says, "Donovan, if you think that shocks me, just remember that it was well-documented in your Anger Expression Inventory." He looks up to Jordan in particular, and then says, "Deputies, escort the prisoner out."

Jordan knows it's not just that he wants Donovan out of here. They're both thinking about Nixie; about how protective she is.

And how her dragon comes more to the surface the more protective she becomes in a situation.

They start to drag him out, but he stops them again and says, "I'm not angry like I'm gonna throw a brick through your window. I'm angry, like I'm going to find you. I'm going to get a knife, and I'm going to stab you with it until you're dead. And when you look at me and you ask me why, remember right now. Because this is why." Nixie is breathing so heavily that Stiles and Scott can hear the growl and roar inching it's way up her throat, almost demanding to be let out and heard.

Stiles pushes in front of her and diffuses things for the moment with his usual sarcasm. "Wow. That was awesome. That was really awesome. That was great, can we do one more? Give us another one, maybe like Christopher Walken this time, you know." Donovan stares at Stiles now, who just says, "Okay, you know what. That's fine. You'll have plenty of time to work on it when you're in your tiny little cell, you know. Just stuck there. Forever."

Donovan actually grins, and then lunges at them. Scott leaps forward, Noah managing to stop him. Stiles wasn't so luck at stopping Nixie. That was more because Donovan actually got close to reaching him though, and Nixie actually physically yanked Stiles back by his collar and put herself in front of Donovan.

Just like before, when he'd caught her eyes, he immediately back pedaled, as though suddenly terrified. But that wasn't enough for her this time. She felt her eyes begin to glow, and Donovan gasped and freaked slightly at the sight.

That's when she immediately turned, before anyone else could see, and made as though she were checking on Stiles, who wrapped her in a hug while Noah says, "Get him out of here!"

When he's out of the room, Noah asks, "She alright?" "I'm fine Noah." But when she turns back, her eyes are only just beginning to dim. Blinking rapidly to help them go down faster, she says, "Sorry." Noah just shakes his head, and says, "Deaton said this would happen the closer you got to eighteen. But after that, it should get easier. Yeah?" "I hope so."

Noah puts an arm around her in a hug, and then looks up when Jordan rushes back into the room. Nodding, he says, "Parrish. Take Nixie to get some water please. She's a little shaken up."

Nixie gives Noah a look, but walks away with Jordan anyway into the break room. Sighing, she runs her hands through her hair and says, "Sorry." "Nixie, you know you don't have to say that. To anyone else, but least of all to me." She turns to him and says, "It's getting harder to stop it from happening?" "Your eyes?" She nods, and Jordan says, "Well, if that's the least of our problems, I'd say we're doing pretty well."

She gives him a look, but he just smiles and says, "Baby, come on. You were protecting them. You think they don't know that? That I don't know that?" She sighs and says, "It's not that. I just… I told myself I would get a grip on this. And instead, I seem to be losing it." "It's because you're getting closer to eighteen. In November right?" She nods, and then sighs and says, "I guess I just don't like being controlled by a timeframe like that. I mean, everyone else has just had to study, practice, and learn control. I didn't even know what I was until the end of last year, and now I'm getting worse at being what I am."

Turning to him, she adds, "And we still don't know what you are?" Jordan shrugs and says, "We'll figure it out. In the meantime, come here." She does, and he holds her in his arms and says, "Everything's fine now. Alright?" She nods, and then asks, "Can I ask a favor?" "What is it?" "Can you kiss me?"

Jordan grins, and then leans back from her. Moving her over to the counter, he picks her up and sets her on it before saying, "You should be ashamed for doing that to me." "I know." She grins though, obviously not. He chuckles, and then moves between her legs and presses hands to her back to keep her against him as firmly as possible.

Nixie sighs at the warmth, and then slides her fingers into his hair before leaning down and pressing her lips to his, loving how they both instantly turn enough to deepen the kiss. It was pretty much a known fact by now. Whenever Nixie was going to kiss him, it wasn't going to be small. It would last at least five seconds, if not longer, and it wouldn't be a peck.

Jordan never seemed to mind that though, and in fact, at times, seemed to encourage it.

Not right now though. He waits until her hands are relaxed and for her to turn to breathe, and then kisses her cheek gently before leaning back and helping her off the counter. Brushing some of the stray strands of hair from her face, he says, "I'll see you later Nixie. Alright?" "Absolutely." He smiles at that, and then remembers to get a cup and fill it with water before walking her back out into the main office.

Noah gestures out the door, obviously pointing out that Scott and Stiles have already gone back outside. She nods and says, "Thanks Noah. Night Parrish." Jordan nods and says, "Goodnight Nixie. Always a pleasure."

The other young deputy, Clark, after everyone has settled down, asks, "Are they always in here?" Jordan turns to look at her, and then grins and says, "Even more than you've already seen. Don't worry. You get used to it."

Outside, Nixie sighs when she hears the jeep sputtering but not starting. "It's anxiety." Scott looks at Stiles and asks, "What is?" Stiles gives him a look and says, "The chemo signals? Oh, I'm well aware of how you all monitor my emotional state. Yeah." He tries again, but nothing. Then he slams his hand against the steering wheel, the same one Nixie had healed.

Her hand was already fine from taking the injury for him. She decided that was what she'd done. Somehow she literally transferred what was wrong with him, into her own body, switching out who had the problem basically.

Coming up to the window, she reaches through and puts a hand on his shoulder. Stiles turns, and then sighs and says, "I'm alright. I promise." Scott asks, "You sure?" Stiles turns to him, and then sighs again, but pulls out his phone and shows them pictures of what the Desert Wolf, Malia's mom, has done. Scott stares and says, "Maybe you should stop." "It's not up to me."

Nixie nods and says, "Malia." Stiles nods, and then tries again, and his jeep finally cranks. Leaning back in relief, he turns to Nixie and says, "Next time it stops working, I'm just calling you. Things always seem to fix themselves faster when you're here." She smiles and says, "I'll arrive in a heartbeat." "I know it." He smiles at her, and then sighs and says, "Alright. I guess we're heading home. Where you going?" "Same. Some homework to do. More tests to study for."

Scott looks at her and asks, "Don't you only have one class?" "Yeah, but I'm aiming for an impressive A." They both grin at her, and then take off once they see her get on her bike and crank it.

She's just finished one of her papers when her phone rings. Seeing Lydia's name, she hits the speaker button and asks, "Hey, how is the driving going?" "Nixie." She stops typing, saves what she was doing, and asks, "What's wrong?" "I… well, I found some dead bodies. Again." "Where are you guys?" "Downtown. Kira's calling 911. It looks like it was some sort of police transport."

Nixie pauses at that, and then asks, "Donovan's transport?" "I don't know whose. But people are dead. They are most definitely dead. And one is barely holding on." "Alright. Lydia, I'm coming." "Please hurry."

Nixie races downtown as fast as she can, even catching up to Noah's vehicle that was also heading towards the scene.

Jordan is actually riding with him today in the truck, and both look over when they hear Nixie's bike soar past them. Noah sighs and says, "Lydia must've called her. She only speeds when it's Lydia." Jordan nods and says, "Or any of the rest of them. I'm sure she'd speed to get to you too." "Not sure if that's a touching thought or a disturbing one since she could crash going that fast."

Jordan nods at that too, and when they arrive, Lydia is already in Nixie's arms. Nixie hugs her tight, and Lydia is telling her what happened while Jordan and Noah head towards the truck to see what's going on.

Then Scott and Stiles show up, and Noah sends Scott out to try and find Donovan.

When Jordan finally hears Scott come in over the radio, he's not surprised when Nixie seems to suddenly just appear next to him to hear what's going on. "Scott, is that you?" "Yeah. I found Donovan. He's completely freaked out. He keeps saying some name." Noah pulls the mike from Jordan and asks, "What name?" Nixie turns to Stiles when he suggests, "Theo." They were both thinking it.

But then Scott says Tracy, and Nixie's heart stops for a second. She looks to Lydia, who shares the same look of confused terror. Tracy? But… she wasn't capable of this. Noah asks, "Tracy who?" Lydia says, "Stewart. Tracy Stewart." Nixie nods, but then looks at Noah and says, "But… her dad. She couldn't have…" Lydia looks to her and says, "Night terrors." Nixie looks back at her, and then she gives Jordan's arm a squeeze before she follows Lydia to where the other girls are so they can form some sort of plan in all of this.

* * *

The next morning, all gathered around Stiles' jeep, Nixie looks to Stiles and says, "Tracy wasn't just having trouble sleeping." Lydia nods and confirms, "It was a real disorder. It was night terrors." Stiles says, "Well, now she's the night terror." Nixie nods to that as well and runs a hand through her hair as she adds, "Especially since no one can find her."

Scott nods and says, "Okay, I know we're all tired and miserable…" He pauses, and then turns to Mason and says, "Except for you." Nixie can smell it too. The excitement and astonishment rolling off of him. Mason looks around at all of them and says, "Oh. I'm sorry. This is all just mind-blowing. You're a kitsune. I don't even know what that is."

Kira shrugs and says, "I'm still learning." Stiles turns and says, "Liam, we said you could tell him. Not invite him into the inner circle." Mason's eyes get wide and he says, "Uh, I'm in the inner circle?" "No."

Nixie catches his eye though, and smiles and winks before turning back to the others.

Scott says, "Guys, look, back to Tracy." Nixie nods and says, "Yeah, about Tracy. We shouldn't hurt her if we can avoid it." Scott nods and says, "She's just one lone wolf. We can find her." Malia points out, "One lone serial killing wolf." Nixie gives her a look, but smiles again when Stiles says, "She only killed one person, you know. The other two were mauled."

Mason's eyes are wide again, and Nixie just says from beside him, "You get used to it." Stiles then asks, "What do we do when we catch her?" And of course Malia suggests putting her down. Mason looks around to see if this is actually a considered possibility, and then comments, "Intense." Nixie grabs his arm and says, "Yeah, the life threatening plans from Malia aren't to be taken seriously unless it's a forgone conclusion that we have no other choice."

Scott nods and says, "Let's just concentrate on catching her first. We'll figure the rest out later."

They all nod in agreement, and then disperse to go to class. Mason looks around, and then catches up to Lydia, Nixie, and Liam and asks, "That's it?" Liam looks at him and says, "That's all we can do right now. We have school." Mason looks at them and says, "But…" Nixie links arms with him and says, "Mason, we know things, and we try to prevent catastrophes. We're also still people, still students, who have to graduate if we want to become anything worthwhile on this earth. We'll hunt for her when the school day is over. Lydia and I only have one class, so we'll start searching even before that."

Dropping them off at his and Liam's locker, she says, "You two go to class, do good work, and we'll find you later or let you know if we've found something." Liam nods, and as the girls walk away, Mason asks, "Okay, so Lydia's a banshee and Nixie's a dragon?" Liam nods, and Mason asks, "And Nixie has a mate?" "Yeah." "Who?"

Liam looks up at Nixie walking down the hall, and then back to Mason and says, "Look, I told you I wasn't going to give you that bit of information. That's for Nixie to tell you." "Alright, fine. But what's with everyone relaxing around her. I mean… even me. I don't feel as anxious as I did before." Liam smiles at that and says, "It's because she cares about you, and she wants you level headed. It's a part of what she does. You should let her hug you eventually. It works wonders on stress that even working out for hours can't fix."

Mason nod at that, and then says, "This is wild. Just too wild."

At Lydia's locker, Nixie smiles at her phone as it rings, and then answers it and says, "Hey." "Hey Nixie." Jordan smiles briefly into his phone, and then glances around him and says, "Listen, I can't get a hold of Scott." "Are you sure? Do you want me to give him the phone? I have class with him next."

Jordan grins again and says, "Nixie…" She pauses, and then says, "You didn't even try to call him first, did you?" "Not really. I'm supposed to give him a message. I wasn't really told it had to be direct. Noah is seriously thinking about putting you guys on the payroll now though." "Props to us."

He chuckles a little, and then sighs and says, "We know why we couldn't find Tracy last night." "Why?" "She was at the hospital, killing her psychiatrist." Nixie gives Lydia a look that says she'll have to hear this later, and then asks, "What does Noah want us to do?" "Nothing right now. He just wants you guys to know." "Right. I'll tell Scott."

Jordan nods and says, "Thanks. I love you baby." Nixie nods and then whispers, "Love you too. Bye."

As she hangs up, Lydia says, "First of all, you two are adorable. Second of all, what happened?" "Well, Trixie killed her psychiatrist last night. That's why we couldn't find her." Lydia sighs and says, "Alright. Let's go tell Scott, and then pretend like we don't know anything while we sit in our one class of the day." "Sounds about right."

Lydia smiles and links arms with her before saying, "I literally don't know how I'd be sane without you." "I assure you my dear Lydia, that sentiment goes both ways."

As the tests are being handed out, Nixie smiles when the teacher compliments Scott on his excellent grade. Then she asks him to lead in the review of last night's reading. That's when Scott see's Liam outside the room.

Mrs. Finch, not exactly patient, starts pestering him to speed up. That's when Liam says for them to hear, "She's here. She's in History class right now. Tracy. She's here."

For a brief moment, Scott looks stunned. Mrs. Finch is about to ask him to hurry up again. That's when Nixie is suddenly caught in a fit of violent coughs.

Turning to her, Mrs. Finch asks, "Nixie? Are you alright?" Nixie nods and then stands up while still catching her breath and coughing. "I just… need water… I'll… be right back… 'cough!'… so sorry…" And she heads out the door, immediately finding Liam and telling him, "Pull the fire alarm. Kind of the universal signal for, shit is about to happen." He nods and heads off to find one.

Nixie heads to the history class and gives Mr. Yukimara a look as everyone hurries out of class at the sound of the alarm going off.

And that's where she finds Tracy and that girl that Liam had told her about. The one that was vengeful apparently. Stepping inside the room, Scott and Liam right with her now, they try to get Tracy to calm down. Instead, she grabs Hayden by the arm, squeezing tight enough to make her bleed.

Nixie, overtop of Scott's voice, says gently, "Tracy." Her eyes snap to Nixie, as though finally finding something to focus on. Then Nixie says, "You're hurting her. You need to let her go."

She finally does, but then says, "They're coming. They're coming for all of us."

And then she collapses, and instead of black sludge, a gray and almost silver looking ooze pours out of her mouth. It almost looks like melted down silver or something.

Scott picks her up and they meet Stiles and Malia in the hallway and hurry her outside. Stiles turns to Nixie and says, "Do me a favor? Find Lydia and try to look at this from a different angle." "On it." "That's my girl."

She returns to Liam first though, who is offering Hayden help getting to the nurse. Hayden sneers and says, "I think I'll make it." Liam looks down at his shoes, not sure what he did wrong. And as Hayden turns to leave, she jumps in surprise when Nixie is there right in front of her. Narrowing her eyes, she says, "When someone offers to help you, especially while you're in pain, the appropriate answer when you don't want it, is 'no thank you'."

Hayden stares at her, and then Nixie says, "But I guess I shouldn't expect you to understand that. Liam's changed since the sixth grade. You apparently have a lot more growing up to do." And with that, she leaves Hayden in the hall, putting an arm around Liam and pulling him with her to find Lydia. "Thanks." "No need for that Liam. She was being a bitch. And we don't have room for having to deal with bitches on top of everything else we have to deal with already."

When they find Lydia, she's with Kira, and Liam explains that they're taking her to the clinic to try and figure out what's wrong with her. Nixie asks, "Is there anyone else we can talk to that might understand what's going on?" Lydia nods and asks, "Her mom maybe?" No one knows, but then Lydia suggests, "What about an alpha? If she's a werewolf, she has an alpha right?" Nixie shrugs and says, "Unless she's literally a lone wolf. And… I don't know what the process for rejecting a bite is, but that doesn't look like that would be it." Lydia nods and says, "We have to try though right?"

Nixie nods, and that's when Kira mentions the only other alpha in the area that they know. Liam mentions Brett, and then Nixie says, "Okay, why don't we let Liam and Mason handle that? Why don't the rest of us go to Tracy's room again? Maybe there's something in there that we missed the last time." Lydia nods and says, "That's good. I'll drive."

When they get to Tracy's room, Kira holds back and asks, "Isn't this a crime scene or something?" Lydia immediately says, "No." But upon opening the door, and seeing the crime scene tape, Nixie winces and says, "Maybe. But I wouldn't worry about it." "Why not?" Nixie turns to her and grins before saying, "Because Stiles' dad is the sheriff, my boyfriend is the best deputy on the force, and the odds of anyone actually showing up to see us here with Tracy AWOL and her dad in the hospital are in the billions to one category."

Lydia points and says, "I second that." Kira looks at both of them, and then asks, "So… what are we looking for?" Lydia shrugs and says, "Not sure. I'm mostly just following a feeling. And… well, Nixie's obviously brilliant idea." Nixie bows at the praise and both girls laugh a little while Kira points out, "Your feelings usually lead to dead bodies." Nixie and Lydia look at each other again, and then Lydia suggests, "Well, let me know if you find one." Nixie nods in agreement, and at Kira's shocked face, Nixie shrugs and says, "We're used to it. Plus, if there is one, we kind of need to add it to the body count Tracy is stacking up. She's got two. If we add anymore, we might actually have cause to call her a serial killing werewolf."

They look around for a while, and Nixie pauses when Liam calls her and says, "Brett says they've never seen her, and ever since the dead pool, it's not exactly on Satomi's highest of priorities to start recruiting again yet."

Brett, listening in, can't help but smile when Nixie says, "Yeah, well, I think that's understandable considering how many people died at the hands of an unstable and slightly unhinged banshee. Tell Brett I said hi by the way." Brett leans closer and says, "Hey Nixie. Lori says she wants to see you again sometime." "Tell her come to any lacrosse game and I will most likely be there." "Got it."

Liam then adds, "I also think I found something. Remember when I fell in the hole?" "Vividly. Kind of freaked me out." "Well, I think I saw Tracy's necklace at the bottom. I didn't even think of it at the time. But… well, she's wearing the same thing in this picture I have of her." Nixie nods and asks, "You going to check it out?" "Yeah. Brett said he'll come with and Mason's coming."

A pause for a moment, and then Nixie says, "Give Brett my number, and tell him to give it to his sister later. The minute, and I mean the very second something goes wrong, one of you had better call me." "Always Nixie." "Good."

Hanging up, Nixie says, "The boys are following up on another lead. Anyone heard anything from Scott or Stiles yet?" Both girls shake their heads, and then Kira pulls out a box with a dream catcher in it. "Look at this."

Nixie and Lydia both look at the present from Tracy's father, and then Kira sighs and says, "This is beyond depressing." Lydia says, "He was just trying to help her." Kira nods and asks, "Why would she go after him like that?" "I guess she wasn't in control of herself." Kira points and says, "But it wasn't even a full moon."

Lydia ponders, and then says, "Maybe a werewolf with night terrors is worse than a…" Lydia pauses, and Nixie turns to her. She can see the gears in her head turning faster as Lydia thinks of something, so Nixie her and says, "Share. What're you thinking up there?" "You know, there are cases of people who accidentally murdered their entire family while in a night terror. They had no idea what they were doing. It's called homicidal somnambulism."

Nixie blinks and says, "Let me add that to the ever growing list of huge words that I have no idea why you even know and understand. That being said… you think Tracy did all of this by accident?" Lydia shrugs, and Kira says, "Okay. So if Tracy's killing people she doesn't really want to kill, she might not actually be awake?" Lydia looks over at Nixie and says, "She's still in a night terror."

Nixie nods, and then stands up straighter and says, "And she's still with Scott, Stiles, Malia, and Deaton. If she's still stuck in a night terror when she becomes conscious again…" Lydia nods and says, "Who knows what she might try to do to them?"

All three look at each other, and then bolt out of the room and back to Lydia's car, flooring it as they speed off down the road.

As they're driving though, Nixie says, "Wait!" Lydia brakes and asks, "What? We have to…" "Tracy has only gone after people trying to help her right? That's what you said. Her dad, her psychiatrist. Who else has tried to help her?"

Kira says, "Lydia. Lydia was trying to help her." Nixie looks at Lydia and says, "She's with us, so she's safe. Who else though? Is there…" "You." Nixie blinks and asks, "What?" Kira nods and says, "Both of you. You helped her to class, and you did that thing where you hug someone and make everything seem better. And you both brought Jordan to her house to inspect her room for possible break ins."

Nixie sighs and says, "Okay, but we're altogether, so assuming we're enough to handle her, who else would she go after before us?"

"My mom." Nixie turns to Lydia and asks, "What?" "My mom. She was… she was trying to help her too." Nixie and Lydia both look at each other, and then Nixie mutters, "Step on it." Kira is jerked back against the seat as Lydia floors it again, this time heading in another direction. Then Kira asks, "Where are we going? Where's your mom?"

Lydia mutters, "On a date."

When they get to the station, Tracy is already there. And she looks freakier than the first time they'd seen her. She's scaling across the ceiling, her eyes are like an evil cat's eyes. She's not a werewolf at all. She's a kanima.

Sighing, Nixie says, "So much for Satomi being able to help us on this one."

Noah pulls his gun and fires, but Tracy is too fast. She falls from the ceiling and slices the back of his hand, sending him to the ground. Kira pulls off her belt, turning it into a sword. All the while Natalie is watching with shocked eyes from the other side of the room. Lydia looks at her and yells, "Mom run! Run!" Natalie does, but Lydia's shouting turned Tracy's attention to her.

Nixie didn't even hesitate, something Natalie notices. As Nixie has always done, for Lydia and for anyone else she could, she blocked Tracy's straight path to Lydia, put herself in front of her.

The result was that her tail didn't go as deep into Lydia as it should have. Instead it stabbed through Nixie's stomach on the left side, creating a gaping hole, and while coming out the back, it sliced into Lydia's side as well.

Nixie feels Lydia fall out from behind her, but currently she's still impaled on Tracy's tail, and is unable to move. Well, until Tracy flings her off and into the office door and wall behind Lydia. Then Nixie struggles forward, grabbing Lydia and dragging her into the room while Kira keeps on fighting. Turning to see Natalie, she yells, "RUN!"

Natalie takes off, not sure what else to do. She just knows that Nixie has her daughter, and for some reason that's more comforting than just the fact that they're in a police station where someone will surely know how to stop her bleeding.

Nixie watches as Kira takes on the kanima, slicing her tail clean off. The fox surrounding Kira burns brighter and larger than Nixie has ever seen it to be. But she can't focus on that right now. As soon as Kira calms down, Nixie shouts, "Kira!" Kira moves to her side, and says, "Oh God! Who's bleeding?" "Get the belt from the coat rack."

Nixie has never been so happy that Noah was so nervous about his date tonight that he brought two different belts to try on with his outfit, not to mention the five different ties. Kira grabs it and brings it to her, and Nixie slides it under Lydia's prone body and then synchs it up tight against the wound. Lydia winces, what little she can while bleeding out and in pain on the floor, and Nixie says, "I'm sorry Lydia, I'm so sorry. But the blood loss will kill you long before the pain will."

Looking to Kira, she says, "Find me something, anything to hold against her to stop the bleeding. Look in his desk drawers or something."

That's when Malia walks into the office, and Lydia gasps and says, "Malia…"

Turning to see them, Malia asks, "Lydia?" Lydia says, "It's okay. It's not as bad as it looks." Nixie looks up to Malia and shakes her head before whispering, "It's worse. We need to get her out of here." But Lydia continues, "Malia, listen… Tracy. She thinks… she thinks she's asleep. She thinks she's dreaming. It's a night terror."

Malia looks to Nixie and says, "I… I don't know what that means." "She's not dreaming Malia. Try to make her see that." Lydia nods and says, "Get her to understand."

Noah shouts, "Malia! They're in the basement." "They?"

Nixie nods and says, "Tracy." And Lydia adds, "And my mother."

Nixie can hear the battle that starts below them between Malia and Tracy, but she can't focus on that. She turns as Kira slides down next to her, and hands her a cloth to press against Lydia's side. "Call 911." Kira nods, and then Nixie snarls a little when something presses against her back where the tail exited. "Kira…" "You're bleeding too, and a lot more than she is." "I'll heal, Lydia won't. Get somebody here. Now!"

Kira only hesitates a moment longer, and then dashes for her phone. Nixie presses harder against Lydia's side and says, "You're going to be fine Lydia. I promise. Everything is going to be fine."

She slides her hand under the towel and against Lydia's wound, and she can feel her own side split open a little as she takes some of the wound away from Lydia. She can't take it all. She can feel herself growing slightly faint from blood loss, and even a dragon has to have a limit on how much they can take all at once. But she takes what she can, and then presses down against Lydia's wound again.

"You're going to be fine. Everything's going to be fine."

* * *

Chapter 3! Yay! As always, I hope you're enjoying the story. Chapter 4 will follow shortly. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

Also, I wish to also reclaim what I did in my last story. I'm not a person who knows much about insurances or how all that works and things like that. This was stated in my previous story when it comes to the issue of Nixie living on her own... and if you haven't read that story, go read it and you'll see the notes at the top of the chapter that I explain that in. Anyways, once again, there are mentions of insurance type things in this chapter pertaining to Nixie and her particular situation. I just want to clarify that I do not claim for this to be something to work in a real life situation. I didn't research it before I put it in the story. It's just here for the purposes of my story. And again, this is fiction, so I'm probably bending the rules of reality a bit in that light, but just bear with me on that note.

Okay. I think that's all I have for this chapter. Sorry for the interruption. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 4: Episode 5x4

He was lying on his couch, a deck of cards that Nixie had bought for him in his hands.

He enjoyed cards. He only knew one trick, but he enjoyed shuffling them. He even enjoyed solitaire, or black jack or rummy if Nixie was over and played with him. In any case, she found a very nice deck and bought it for him, and now he was lying on his couch, flipping the queen of diamonds over again and again.

The face of the card… it kept looking like it was changing to him. First he would see a face that resembled Lydia's. Then he'd see Nixie's face. After that, Nixie's was the one he saw the most, but sometimes it would appear to him as though Lydia's had replaced it again.

He didn't understand it. But thinking about it brought him back to the experiment that the girls had done on him at one point.

Lydia had held up a lighter and flicked it on. Nixie was standing next to her, her finger and thumb pinching lightly at her lip. She did that when she was nervous, or not entirely comfortable with something about to be done. He smiled gently at her, and then asks, "We going to do a magic trick?" Lydia let the lighter go out, and said, "No. But you are."

Jordan grins and says, "As I'm sure Nixie has told you, I only know one trick, and it's with a playing card. Also not really that impressive." Nixie looks at him and says, "It was impressive before you explained to me how you did it." Jordan nods and says, "Exactly." She rolls her eyes, and he laughs before they look at Lydia, who says, "And focusing again. This one involves a lighter and your hand."

Jordan leans back and says to both of them, "This is sounding less like a magic trick and more like assault." Lydia smirks and says, "Well, if we're going to talk about assault, maybe we should talk about some of the things Nixie does to you in your home when no one else is around, officer." Nixie jerks her head to look at her and says, "Lydia…" "What? It's definitely you being assertive, which is all part of assaulting someone."

Jordan grins at Nixie, who blushes and says, "I hate you both." Jordan chuckles and says, "Firstly, that's definitely not true Nixie. And I have a bruise to prove it." If possible, her blush deepened, and Lydia started laughing while Jordan gave Nixie a meaningful look. It had only been the night before, and they'd been in bed, and Nixie had been restless. So she'd started kissing his neck, and then down his chest, and then down his sides. She finally settled on the side of one of his pectoral muscles, and had left a nice sized hickey there.

Leaning back in his chair again, he says, "Secondly, assault would also mean I'm very much against any action that's being done to me. And so far, I'm all for everything Nixie's done." Lydia bursts into laughter again, and even Nixie can't help but grin.

Then Lydia says, "Look, it's a little dangerous, yes. But it's not as bad as being lit on fire in a deputy sheriff's car. Which, by the way, you walked away from unscathed." Nixie turns back to them at that and says, "Not entirely. He had to pay for the uniform. Which I still think is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of." Jordan chuckles, and then sighs when Lydia says, "Look, just give me your hand."

He holds it up and says, "I think I've seen something like this in a movie." Lydia nods and says, "Lawrence of Arabia." "Remind me what the trick was?" Nixie comes to stand directly beside Lydia and says gently, "Not minding."

But he only lasts a few seconds before jerking back. "Ow. Son of a…" Lydia laughs a little and Nixie covers her mouth to try and hide hers.

She fails though, and Jordan stands up and moves towards her until she's backed into the desk behind her. Stammering, she says, "Um… we're not finished." "We'll get back to that. You're laughing at me." "Nope." "I think you are." "Not at all. It wasn't funny." He raises an eyebrow at her, his hands finding her hips, and he says, "I'm pretty sure you were." "Don't…" "Say sorry…" "Sorry. A thousand times sorry."

He chuckles, and then kisses her neck, smiling when she relaxes at that bit of attention. Then he tickles her sides and she shrieks in surprise before shouting, "Jerk!" He just laughs and kisses her again before returning to his chair. Lydia smirks at both of them and says, "Too adorable. Oh, when you two can be an official couple I can't wait to see you guys in public." Nixie blushes all over again, and Jordan grins before looking to Lydia, who says, "Alright. Back to this. You can last longer than that."

Lydia ponders for a moment, and then stands up and has Nixie take her seat. Handing her the lighter, she says, "You do what I did." Nixie gently takes Jordan's hand and positions it again. Then prepares to turn on the lighter. Lydia says, "This time, I want you to do something different."

Jordan, who had been glancing at the lighter, looks to her, and she says, "Don't think about the flame. Don't' think about the heat. Don't think about it hurting. Don't even look at it." He stares at her for a moment, and then looks down at Nixie. She was biting her lip nervously, and he knew it wasn't on purpose. She had, on occasion, taken to biting her lower lip on purpose, because she knew it made him want to kiss her that much more.

But right now, she's nervous and doesn't want to hurt him. Steadying his hand, smiling gently at her, he says, "Okay." And even as she flicks the lighter back on, he keeps his eyes trained on Nixie, and she stares back just as intently. Lydia behind her watches the whole time, fascinated by Jordan's not flinching even as his hand begins to smoke.

Nixie notices his eyes become unfocused amidst everything else. Then she cringes and drops the lighter on the desk. "Ow." Jordan blinks and then scoots his chair closer and asks, "What? What happened?" Nixie looks up and says "Oh, nothing. Too hot." Lydia nods and says, "Her thumb was too close to the flame. It happens." Jordan nods, but takes her hand in his anyway. Running his own thumb over her knuckles, he asks, "Are you okay?"

Nixie nods and says, "Not even burnt really. It just got too hot. What about you?" Jordan ponders that, and then flips his hand over to see the ash residue on his skin. But as Nixie brushes it away, his skin is perfectly fine. Lydia stares and asks, "Did it hurt?"

Jordan shakes his head, and Lydia says, "While you were looking at her, your eyes kind of drifted. What were you thinking about?" Jordan looks up at her and says, "Um… a dream." "What dream?" Jordan looks back to Nixie, who nods, and then he says, "I've… I've had it here and there for about six months. Nixie… she knows."

Lydia looks to Nixie, who says, "He didn't want to tell me, but… he always gets really hot when he has it. And I mean… he's already his own personal heater, so he gets really, really hot." Lydia nods, and asks, "What's it about?" Jordan says, "I'm walking in the woods, and I'm carrying a body. It's completely burned, I can't see who it is or who it was." "Where are you taking it?"

Nixie turns to her and says, "The Nemeton. That's where's he's taking it." Jordan nods and says, "Nixie explained that to me too. But… I've never even seen this place." Lydia nods and says, "But it's why you're here. It drew you here." Nixie nods and says, "That's what it does. A beacon for supernatural creatures." Lydia comments, "It might even make them more powerful. What else happens?"

Jordan rises, running a hand through his hair. Nixie comes up behind him, running a hand up and down his spine soothingly. Whispering, she says, "You don't have to say it all if you don't want?"

They both know Lydia didn't hear that. So Jordan says, "I lay it down on the rings of the tree and…" Lydia looks between them and asks, "What?" Nixie shrugs and finishes for him, "Nothing else. That's the end of the dream."

Jordan is grateful to Nixie, for keeping that last little bit of the dream a secret. It terrifies him, beyond words or comprehension. The hundreds, maybe even thousands of bodies lying there around the stump. It's terrible, and he already hated having to tell Nixie what he'd seen. He doesn't want that to happen. And he doesn't understand why he's apparently the one collecting the bodies.

Of course, it probably has something to do with whatever he's supposed to be, if he could ever manage to figure that out.

Back in the present, Jordan was about to just put the cards down and get some sleep, when his phone rang. Seeing Melissa's name, he answers and asks, "Mrs. McCall? Everything alright?" "No. I mean, I'm not sure. Kira called and said both Lydia and Nixie are badly hurt. I think we're gonna need all hands on deck for this one. Can you, come to the hospital as fast as you can?" "On my way."

* * *

Lydia is finally able to move her neck a little without causing herself immense pain when Stiles enters the doorway. Nixie looks up at him and says, "She'll be alright Stiles. I promise. I've got her." Stiles nods, still staring dumbstruck at Lydia, lying on the floor in a pool of blood, a belt wrapped around her waist to keep the wound compressed and to pinch off the bleeding.

Theo enters the doorway next, and Nixie narrows her eyes at him. Then she cringes as Kira presses something else against her wounds again, the one in the front and the one in the back. "Kira…" "You're still bleeding Nixie. I don't even know…"

Theo takes off his own belt and pulls it around Nixie's stomach now, synching it tightly to try and help close off the wound some more.

Natalie Martin then gasps and says, "Oh God. Lydia." "Mom, I'm fine." Nixie looks down at her, and Lydia is looking up at her now. Looking at Nixie's stomach, Lydia shakes her head and says, "You're worse than me. You need…" Leaning down closer, she says, "I'll heal. Slower, but I will. You don't. Don't even start trying to argue with me."

Leaning back again, she looks to Kira and says, "Give me your jacket." "Why?" "They need to take Lydia first. She's more critical." "Nixie…" "Kira! Do it!" So Kira takes off her jacket and though Nixie doesn't approve of him at all, Theo helps with getting her into it while also keeping the towel and belt pressed against Lydia's side tightly.

Looking back up at Stiles, Nixie says, "Go Stiles. Help them. Let me know what happens." He finally nods, and then says, "Likewise." Nixie nods back, and then he goes.

In the ambulance, amidst holding Lydia's hand, Natalie keeps glancing over at Nixie, who is sitting on Lydia's other side. Kira's jacket is zipped up tightly around her, preventing anyone from seeing that she's still bleeding. Any blood they do see on her, they assume is Lydia's from what she's already done to try and save her life.

Holding Lydia's other hand now that the IV is in place, Nixie says, "You're going to be fine Lydia. I promise." Lydia turns to her, more dazed now, but still says, "What about you?" "I'm fine. I'm always fine." "That's not true… Mom…"

Lydia turns to Natalie, squeezing her hand tight. Gasping in a breath, she begs, "Don't let her hide it. Please…" Natalie looks up at Nixie, who shakes her head and says, "Not now." Lydia begs, "Please…"

Nixie squeezes her other hand and says, "Lydia… look at me." Lydia turns back, and says, "You can't go back. You can't…" "I won't. But you need more attention than me. Do you understand?" They stare at each other for so long that Natalie almost worries Lydia is going into some sort of shock or something. But then Lydia nods and says, "Please don't die." Nixie smiles and says, "Death couldn't take me if he tried. He's too afraid of me."

Lydia actually smiles at that, and then they reach the hospital and Nixie has to fall back because she isn't family and can't go as far as Natalie.

Instead she goes to join the others, and as soon as Melissa joins them, Stiles asks, "How bad is it?" Melissa puts a hand on his shoulder first and says, "Could've been worse." Then she turns to Nixie, and says, "Good job on using the belt as a tourniquet. You've definitely saved her life. Now, she's about to go into surgery, so it's going to be a long while before any of you guys will be able to see her. Are there any other supernatural details I need to know or do we just stitch her up and hope for the best?" Kira says, "It was the tail?"

Scott nods and says, "Yeah, Tracy cut her with the tail, if that makes a difference." Melissa nods and says, "Okay." She pulls out a tablet and marks down something to look into. Then she looks back at them and asks, "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Yes." All eyes turn to Natalie, who has exited a nearby elevator and is moving to join them. Coming up to Nixie, she says, "I promised her." "Natalie…" "She's going into surgery, there is nothing more you can do for her, so there is no more reason to wait."

Kira nods in agreement and helps Natalie with taking the coat off of Nixie. Melissa stares at the belt on her waist and asks, "Did she slice you too?" Theo loosens his belt and says, "It looks like Tracy hit her on both sides."

Nixie glares at him, but then looks at Stiles, who says sorrowfully, "I didn't even know you were that hurt. I thought most of it was hers." "It was." Kira stares at her and says, "No, it wasn't. Nixie, you've lost twice as much blood as Lydia. I don't even know how you're still moving. And you never stopped."

That was something to consider. The kanima venom apparently had no effect on her either. Shrugging, she's about to comment, but Kira then turns to everyone else and says, "And she wasn't hit on both sides. She jumped in front of Lydia, and Tracy's tail when completely through her stomach."

There's an almost humorous pregnant pause as everyone completely stops to stare both at the wound and at Nixie in disbelief. Then Nixie huffs and says, "This is not brand new information and should not be that shocking. Well, not the jumping in front of Lydia part anyway." Natalie stares at her, then at the others, who appear to see that as a completely normal action for Nixie.

Then Melissa says, "Regardless, you've lost too much blood. You're turning paler by the second now." "I'm fine." "Nixie…" "I… I don't even know if I have insurance Melissa." Everyone pauses again at that for a moment. It had been a while since Nixie had heard from her mother's situation at Eichen. She wasn't sure whether she still had health insurance from what her mom's agreement provided, or if that had somehow changed as well, along with her no longer providing money for affording a place to live.

Then a voice behind them says, "Yes, she does." Nixie closes her eyes and feels both relief and a sense of foreboding at the sound of Jordan's voice.

He comes closer and then instantly puts an arm behind her, and then scoops her legs from under her. Nodding to Melissa, he says, "Tell me where to put her." "This way. The rest of you, don't go anywhere yet." In another elevator, Nixie finally concedes that her vision is becoming blurry. Jordan lifts her closer and kisses her cheek before saying, "Don't you dare even think of dying." "Of course not."

She knows she sounds tired though. She'd managed to last long enough to see Lydia taken care of, but now she was giving out. Melissa looks at them and asks, "How do you know she has insurance?" "Because I checked into her mom's records at Eichen. And when I found out she was about to run out of insurance, I took the liberty of helping the Yukimara's work through a loophole with their insurance people." "What loophole?" "Nixie has been living in their house for almost a year now. According to their insurance, anyone living with them can be considered a co-dependent. And a co-dependent is covered under their health insurance, so long as their information is listed."

Looking to Melissa, who is smiling at him impressed, he shrugs and says, "I helped them push the paperwork through. Since she's not family, it only lasts until she's eighteen, but we're still in the clear here." Melissa nods, and then they burst into a new hall, place her on an empty and clean gurney, and then Melissa helps other doctors race her down the hall and into a different operating room.

Jordan wishes he could do more, but at this point he can't. He has to trust Melissa's hands, and the other doctors. So he heads back up to the others.

To Kira first, he asks, "Do you have an insurance card with you?" "Yeah." "Melissa will need that for Nixie later. I'll keep it for her until she can come back and get it." Kira nods and pulls it out for him. Then to everyone else, he asks, "What happened?"

They all tell him the story from their viewpoints, and then he heads off again while they try to plan their next move. Jordan runs a hand through his hair while pacing another hall, waiting on information about the girls. Natalie eventually joins him, and he suggests arranging it so the girls can rest together in the same room once they're both out of surgery. She agrees with that and arranges it with one of the doctors before leaving for the night.

* * *

Nixie wakes up the next morning to the sound of slapping, kicking, and over exaggerated grunts of exertion. Somewhere in her mind, she knows she's fine, and that Lydia's fine, and that there is no battle currently happening.

But her brain is still in its protective state of mind. She remembers Lydia bleeding out on the floor. She remembers her own wound and how terrified Kira looked for both of them. She remembers how pale Lydia became. And furthermore, she doesn't remember anyone telling her that Lydia was alright.

So jerking and snapping into a sitting position, her eyes instantly glowing and scanning the room for intruders, was her first reaction to waking up. Then came the pain from the wounds on her back and front. Cringing, she hisses as her body protests all the sudden action.

Hands finds her shoulders and press her back down to the bed, while Lydia's voice says from nearby, "Oh thank God." Nixie blinks for a moment, trying to come to terms with everything happening at this current moment. Then she stares up into Jordan's concerned face, and for a moment just basks in those hazel eyes staring into hers.

Relaxing, she asks, "Lydia?" And Jordan can't help but smile and laugh in relief before he mutters, "Yeah. You're fine." Brushing some of the hair from her face, he glances to his right, and Nixie turns her head that way to see Lydia in the bed next to her. Sitting up on her elbows, Lydia smiles and says, "You had me worried." "I'm fine." "I've learned to never take that statement seriously."

Nixie smiles back at her, and then asks, "You alright?" Lydia nods and says, "And everyone keeps telling me that you saved my life." Nixie shrugs at that, resting her head on the pillow again. Sighing in relief, she says, "That's my job." "I thought it was everyone's in the pack." "It is. I pull double duty. I protect you as part of the pack. And I protect you because you're my best friend."

Lydia laughs, and Nixie does too before cringing again and holding her side. Jordan hands her a glass of water, and then chuckles when she asks, "And how are you here? I mean, I know you're a cop so the 'family only' rule doesn't apply to you. But what's the excuse we're going with." "Well, officially I'm here to gather eyewitness testimony." Nixie looks over to Lydia, who says, "Already figured out." "Good."

She turns back to Jordan, who shrugs and says, "Unofficially, I was trying to find something to watch. That is, before my girlfriend leapt up in the bed and snarled at the room like she thought someone was already here trying to kill everyone again." Nixie shrugs and says, "I think I passed out before they took me to surgery. My brain was still in 'kick-ass' mode."

Jordan chuckles again, and then sighs and says, "Anyway, the only thing that comes in is this kung fu movie." Smiling at her, he says, "Pretty sure I already know you don't like these particular movies." Nixie smiles up at him, and then both look to Lydia when she asks, "Do you know how to do that?" Jordan nods and says, "I know a little jiu-jitsu. In the army they taught us CQC."

When Lydia looks confused, Nixie adds in, "Close quarters combat." Jordan nods and says, "Nixie's good at that too." Lydia nods, and then looks between them both and asks, "Can you teach me? Both of you?" Nixie blinks at her, and then says, "Yeah, but why?" "Because next time I want to be able to fight back. I want to learn how to fight."

Nixie frowns, but Lydia gives her a stern look and says, "You can't keep nearly getting killed just because you know that I can't fight back against everything. There has to be something I can do. At least give you time to come up with a better plan than jump in front of me and take the blow I'm supposed to get."

They stare at each other, and then Nixie just nods and says, "I'm all for it." Jordan brushes against her forehead again, and then says, "Yeah, I can teach you too." Lydia nods and says, "Great. We'll start on that as soon as we're both out of here. I'm going to conveniently go back to sleep now. Night."

Nixie blinks in surprise, but as soon as Lydia is turned away, Jordan draws her gaze back to him, and then his lips are on hers. Nixie gasps in surprise, but then reaches up to slide her fingers into his hair. Sighing as he deepens the kiss, she tries to hold him close. But she needs to breathe sooner than usual, and so turns her head and takes in deep breaths before huffing and saying, "Damn it." Jordan smiles and nips at her earlobe, making her breath hitch, before he slides down to her neck and kisses her there for a while.

When he's finally satisfied, he rests his forehead against hers, and then asks, "Did you hear what I said about the insurance?" "Some of it. Something about the Yukimara's being able to cover me?" Jordan nods, and then kisses her gently before saying, "I love you. And I'm proud of you. But if at all possible, never do this to me again." "I will do my best."

He kisses her again, and then sighs and says, "I have to go. I actually have to give something to the station about the stories you two gave. Stiles told me what to put in the report and Lydia helped with the wording." Nixie nods, and then smiles gently when Jordan says, "Rest and heal baby." "Absolutely." He kisses her one last time, and then stands up and heads out of the room.

Then Nixie laughs when Lydia says, "I literally can't get over how adorable you two are. By the way, I call dibs on being your maid of honor when you two get married." "As if I'd ask anyone else to be that in my wedding." Lydia laughs, and then turns and says, "So, we should talk about when we'll start training." "After." "After what?" "After we're healed and out of here. You look tired, and I'm sure I still look like hell. Get some sleep, and when they let us out, we'll figure out the rest then."

Lydia nods and says, "Sounds good. Night." "Night Lydia."

* * *

Nixie wakes up later to the sound of screaming. She turns to see if maybe Lydia is having a nightmare, or is having a banshee type premonition or something. But Lydia is asleep.

That's when she realizes that she's hearing the screams from deeper within the hospital, and about two floors higher than she is.

Odd, she usually had to focus, at least a little bit, before her enhanced hearing kicked in. In fact, she's quite certain that her enhanced hearing has never been good enough to wake her up from a dead sleep. Kira's mom had hollered at her one morning from the kitchen to wake up for school, but Nixie hadn't heard her, and Noshiko had in fact had to knock on her door before she woke up. Apparently the power had gone out that night and no one's alarms had worked. Well, except for Noshiko's own internal clock. Nixie had one too, but she wouldn't have woken up for another thirty minutes or so that morning.

In any case, she gets up out of bed and glances around out in the hall. Seeing no one, she pulls on a pair of sweat pants that someone had left in a chair by the door, probably Kira or Jordan, and then walks out towards the elevators with her IV hanger being pulled beside her.

She sort of loved that she could make it to the elevators and not be disturbed. She went up to the fifth floor, and then turned three different corners before finding Melissa, Scott, and Kira standing outside one of the hospital rooms.

Kira turns as she approaches and says, "You should be resting." "I was. Right up until I heard this kid screaming. What the hell is wrong with him?" Melissa says, "We honestly aren't entirely positive. But nothing we're doing for him is stopping the pain." Kira asks, "Can't they do anything to help him?" "Aside from the morphine we already pumped into him? We can put him in a medically-induced coma. It's how we help burn victims deal with the pain."

She moves to Nixie's side and adds, "Though I honestly don't even know if we can get him to do that. Nothing is working." Nixie winces a little when Melissa checks the wound at her back. Melissa looks relieved though and she says, "You're healing well. Supernaturally well, at least for you. There is definitely going to be another scar." Nixie nods and says, "I'm not surprised."

Scott watches the room for a moment, and then says, "Let me see if I can help." Nixie nods to him, and then they all step into the room. "Please…" the boy begs, sweat drenching his whole body. They'd had to restrain him to the bed for all his thrashing.

Nixie moves to stand behind his head at the bed, and he begs again, "Please make it stop. Please…" The second her own cold hand touches the side of his face and head, he gasps and for a moment there is sweet relief for him. She isn't taking his pain. She still doesn't want to tell Scott that she can take pain, but she also takes the injury with the pain. So she comforts the boy this way for now.

Scott nods to her, and then takes his hand.

Nixie drops hers instantly and rushes towards him with Kira when the black lines that run up his wrists and arms surge up into his neck even, damn near causing him to stop breathing. "Scott, let go." Kira jerks him and says, "Let go of him." Nixie grabs his wrist and squeezes hard enough that Scott can't hold on. He lets go in surprise, but then gasps and nods to her and says, "I'm alright. Thanks."

Nixie nods, and then Scott asks his mom, "Let me see it. Let me see his arm." Melissa glances at Nixie, who nods, and then turns to remove the bandage from his arm. Nixie's eyes widen while Scott says, "Holy…" They can see down to the muscle and tissue of his arm. It's scary. It's deadly. And most probably definitely still hurts the boy lying there. At the very least though, he's not writhing in as much agonizing pain as before.

Melissa nods to them and says, "The lab says it's scorpion venom?" "Scorpion?" She nods to Scott and says, "But that's not the weirdest part. Because a sting this bad, means that he should've been dead ten hours ago." She walks over to Nixie again, pulling the hospital gown up so she can check on the wound on her front side. Nixie gives her a look, but Melissa just continues on with, "And the scorpion that stung him, would've been ten feet tall."

Nixie turns to Scott, who stares back at her with equal astonishment. Kira lets out a shaky breath and says, "Please tell me that doesn't mean there's a giant scorpion running around Beacon Hills."

"Lucas." They all turn back to the boy in the bed, and he whispers to them again, "It was Lucas."

Nixie moves back over to behind his head. Touching the side of his head again, she runs her fingers through his hair, and he closes his eyes in more relief. "Hey." He looks up at her, and she asks, "What's your name sweetheart?" He blinks at her, obviously surprised by the affectionate term. Scott seems surprised by her use of it too, but she just shrugs as the boy says, "Corey. My name's Corey."

"Alright Corey. I know you're tired, and you're still hurt. But we have some questions that we really need you to answer for us. Do you think you can try to do that?" He nods, and then grips her hand and says, "Just don't let go. Please." "Of course."

She looks to Scott again, who nods and says, "Hey, Corey. What Lucas did to you? He's gonna do it to someone else, and it's gonna be much worse." Kira nods and says, "We need to know what happened." Corey looks between them, and then up at Nixie who reaches down for his shoulder. Squeezing gently, she says, "It's okay. Nothing you say is wrong. Not to us. Okay?"

He nods again, and then says, "I… I don't really know. He's… He's never been like that before." Nixie and Scott help him while he tries to sit up, and then he turns to see where Nixie is. She settles on the edge of the bed just behind him and puts her hand at the top of his back, resting the rest of her arm down the rest of his back. He sighs, and then looks up when Scott asks, "Like what?" "Aggressive."

Corey ducks his head a little and continues, "We were taking is slow, but it wasn't me. He was the shy one. Then we're hanging out today, and it's like he's a different person." Scott nods and asks, "Different how?" Corey sighs tiredly, but Nixie rubs his back gently and asks, "Different how sweetheart? We need to know."

So he nods and says, "Like… super confident. We were just kissing, and then I felt this… this sharp sting on my arm and…" Corey pauses, but then looks up at them and says, "And then I looked up at him… and I swear his eyes turned black." Scott and Nixie look at each other while Kira steps up beside them and asks, "You mean totally black?" Corey nods and says, "The whole eye. But it was only for a second. And then he said sorry, that he'll see me at the club tonight, and then he just left."

Looking at his arm, he adds, "And then a few minutes later, I'm in the worst pain of my life." Kira nods and says, "Hold on, you said club. What club?" Corey looks at them, and then shrugs and says, "Every Friday night. Sinema."

They all look at each other then, and then Nixie gives Corey a hug and says, "They aren't going to let me stay, so we have to leave. But I'll come and see you again if I can. Alright?" He nods, and Nixie smiles gently before they all walk out the door. Kira immediately says, "We have to get to that club." Nixie nods and asks, "Do you have a spare shirt I can borrow?"

Both Scott and Kira look at her, and she says, "Come on guys. I'm fine." "You need to rest and finish healing. Dragon or not, you shouldn't even be alive right now, considering how much blood you lost." She glares at Scott and says, "But I'm fine now." "Not entirely."

He reaches out for her hand, and black lines instantly shoot up his arm. Nixie rolls her eyes and says, "I didn't say I wasn't still hurting at all. That would be stupid and unrealistic for me. But I'm…" Melissa joins them and says, "Nixie, you've done enough for right now. You're not the only one who can handle this." "I know that!"

Melissa smiles at her gently and says, "I know that you know that. But you can't keep pushing your limits like you always have a tendency to do." Sighing, she finally says to all of them, "Your… your heart stopped beating Nixie. Twice while we were operating on you." Nixie stares at her, and then says, "I never felt dead." "You wouldn't. You were legitimately unconscious, and they only lasted for about ten seconds each time. But you flat-lined twice."

Scott and Kira both look at her, and she says, "I'm not apologizing. Lydia's alive, and I knew I'd be okay." Scott nods and says, "We know. But now that you've done that, trust us to handle this one. Rest for tonight. I'm sure they'll let you out sooner rather than later, and when they do, you and Lydia are both back on board. Until then, save your strength. I have a feeling we're all going to need it."

So Nixie lets them leave, with strict instructions to call her or Melissa and inform them of what the hell happens.

She promises Melissa she'll return to her room as soon as she checks on Corey again. Stepping back into the room, she smiles when he looks at her groggily. He smiles back and says, "Thanks, for everything." She nods and says, "I'm not quite done yet."

Corey gives her a confused look, but she simply takes his hand in hers. Paying closer attention this time, she can see faint lines of silver, so faint that they're almost not visible, climb up her own arms. She can feel a slight wound opening in her left arm, same as where Corey's injury was. And he gasps and sighs in relief as she takes a portion of his injury for him.

When she stops, she checks his arm again. His skin is still badly misshapen and burned looking, but at least she can no longer see down to the white muscle tissue in his arm. Wrapping him back up, she puts a cold hand to his forehead and says, "Rest. Get better. Don't worry about anything else right now. You hear me?" He nods, his eyes drooping sleepily, and then Nixie leaves him. Back in her hallway near her and Lydia's room, she glances at her arm.

It's not nearly as bad as what Corey's had been. There's slices and burned through skin, some of the layers of skin beneath the top showing. She looks to have been badly burned right there. But it'll heal, she knows that. So she gets back to her room, wraps it up in some bandage and gauze, and then lays back down, making sure her phone is resting near her head so she hears it if it goes off.

Kira calls her later, informing her that the body is being taken to the hospital, and Melissa is going to be there so she can look at it with Scott if she wants.

Hearing something in Kira's tone, she asks, "What else?" "Nothing else really. I told you I nearly killed him right?" "Yeah, but there's something else." "Nothing else important." "Kira… just spit it out." A pause, and then Kira sighs and says, "Scott said he loved me. But… he did it in that way that's like… he changed everything and he doesn't even realize he changed everything."

Nixie nods and says, "Bug him about it later. And think about it this way. He doesn't see it as changing anything, which is why he said it so freely." "Um… meaning…" Nixie smiles and says, "Meaning the fact that he loves you… that's not brand new news to him."

Kira smiles on the other end and says, "Thanks Nix. You always know what to say." "It's part of my charm." Kira laughs and then hangs up. And then Nixie stands up to go and check out the new chimera they were dealing with before the guys in masks showed up and killed him.

She stops at the door when Lydia asks, "Is everything alright?" Turning to Lydia, she says, "I'm not entirely sure. They found another one, like Tracy. Except he was half werewolf and half scorpion thing." Lydia's eyes widen, and she asks, "Where are you going?" "The body is being brought here. I'm going to have a look at it with Scott and his mom." Lydia nods and asks, "Should I stay here?" "If you don't mind. And if someone comes in, tell them I'm in the bathroom or something." "Will do captain."

Nixie smiles, and then heads down to the morgue where Scott and Melissa are waiting with the body.

Melissa sighs and says, "I'm sure they'll come up with a reasonable explanation for the stingers in his arms." Nixie nods and adds, "I guess it's better than trying to explain a tail." Scott nods and says sadly, "Better than the truth." Nixie wraps an arm around his waist and hugs him. Sighing, she says, "I'm glad you're okay."

Scott hugs her back, kissing the top of her head before saying, "Likewise, though I'm pretty sure that was obvious already." She smiles at that, and then Melissa smiles gently at both of them before saying, "This is the best that we can do for now."

She closes up the fridge while Scott says, "I should've done better." Nixie shakes her head and says, "Scott." "I should've. I should've known that this was going to happen. I should've been able to stop it." Nixie shakes her head and hugs him tightly before saying, "There is nothing you could've done that you aren't already doing. We can only do so much."

Melissa nods and says, "You know. Your grandfather used to have a saying about the word should." Nixie leans back so Melissa can look at both of them, and she says, "You know what you're doing when you say should too often?" Scott and Nixie both look at her, and she says, "You're should-ing all over yourself."

They both give a short laugh at that, and then Melissa puts a hand on each of them and says, "I know I can't be the mom that says, 'I don't want you to do anything about this.' Because you're always going to be involved. Both of you. Because not only do you have the power to do something, but you care enough to do it." She squeezes Nixie's shoulder and says, "Some to a heavier extreme than I'm particularly alright with."

Nixie and Scott both laugh at that, and Scott reaches out for Nixie's hand to steal some more of her pain away, to help her heal faster. Melissa sighs and says, "So all you really need is to ask yourself, 'What am I going to do?'" Scott and Nixie look at each other, and then Scott gives her hand a squeeze and says, "I'm going to find out who did this. And I'm going to stop them."

Nixie squeezes back and says, "We're going to stop them. Don't even think for a second you get to do any of this without me, oh great alpha." Scott grins and says, "Wouldn't dream of it Nix."

They head out of the room, Nixie once again promising she'll go back to bed as soon as she gets a drink of water. That's when she smells something… something burning. And it's coming from the morgue. Could the chimera somehow still be alive, or maybe it's infecting the air somehow?

She doesn't feel sick though, or in any pain aside from what is already hers. So she goes back to the doors of the morgue, and peeks in through the window.

Her heart stops when she sees Jordan, dressed in his street clothes, pulling the chimera out of the fridge. He wraps him haphazardly in the cloth meant to keep him covered from head to toe, and then picks him up, and heads out another doorway.

Cursing herself, she says, "Damn it. Sorry Lydia." And after she unhooks from her IV, which she is certain she doesn't really need any more anyway, she hurries through the morgue, and follows Jordan to… well, wherever he's going. Though based on the fact that he's carrying a dead body into the woods, she thinks she's got a pretty good idea of what's happening.

His dream.

She keeps her distance behind him, but that's more for fear of disturbing him and waking him up. But even as she ponders that, she decides it might not be the worst thing. So she steps closer, makes more noise.

By the time she's within a few feet of him, he's stopped walking, but they're still not at the Nemeton.

Then he turns sharply to face her, orange eyes watching her for a moment. Then he sets the body down, and turns to walk back to her.

Nixie stands her ground. Whatever else he is, she still knows he wouldn't hurt her. Not even in his alter ego state of mind. He gets right in front of her, just like last year when he'd been set on fire in his car and come to the station and beat the living crap out of Haigh. Whatever he is, it has no sense of personal space. Of course, Jordan didn't really need one with her, but this wasn't romantic or anything like that. It was just intense. His eyes were locked onto her, unflinching and unmoving, and if she didn't know better, she'd almost say unseeing.

After a moment more, Jordan slips off his jacket, and then takes off his shirt. Nixie jumps when he then tugs on the gown she's wearing. Not that it did much except cover her in the front anyway, but she's still surprised by it. Then he takes his shirt and slides it over her head and down her body.

She slides her arms through the holes of the arms, basking in the warmth of the shirt. Jordan stares at her a moment more, and then takes his jacket from the ground, hands it to her, and then says, "Go home."

It wasn't Jordan's voice. It was an echoing and almost haunted voice. Nixie shakes her head and says, "No. I'm staying with you." "No. Go home." "Jordan…" "No. Not Jordan." Nixie blinks, and then says, "But…"

He steps up to her again, and then grips her chin gently and makes her meet his intense eyes. "Go home dragon. This is not the time for you to join me here." She frowns and says, "I don't understand." But he doesn't reply beyond that. He sets himself on fire as he releases her, then grabs the body, and then heads into the woods again. She hears him tell her one last time, "Go home. Rest." And then he disappears from her sight.

She slides his jacket over her arms, now only barefoot in the woods. She wants to follow him, but the way he said it made it seem like something terrible might happen if she did.

She'd have to find a way of seeing if Jordan remembered anything from this night, but that would have to come later.

She was heading back to the hospital, intent on doing as Jordan's alter ego had said, and intent on trying to explain to Lydia, somehow, why she'd been gone so long.

That's when a bad feeling suddenly sank into her gut. The feeling shot up her spine, and she felt her eyes begin to glow in response to whatever was happening. Someone she cared about was in trouble.

And regardless of who or where, she took off like a bullet from a gun, guided only by her gut instinct. But it was clearer this time then it had been when Jordan was in trouble. She felt almost like there was a string she was following, that was pulling her in the direction she needed to go this time. And she followed it, running faster than she'd ever run before. Faster than a werewolf. Faster than anything.

And hopefully, fast enough to help her friend who was in danger.

* * *

And here's Chapter 4. Yay! Chapter 5 will come soon after. Hope you're enjoying the read. :)


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 5: Episode 5x5

Fast as she is though, she only reaches the school, reaches the library, in time for the tail end of what's happening. She doesn't have her key card on her, but after the third try, she trips the security lock and the doors fling open.

And there is Stiles, climbing a scaffolding, Donovan grabbing onto his leg.

Donovan's teeth are pointed and sharp, his eyes solid pale in color, and he's snarling, talking about eating Stiles' legs instead of killing him. Nixie's own eyes glow even brighter, and the world around her suddenly looks different.

It was no secret that she had a sort of sixth sense about people. That had been a given from long ago, before anyone knew she was a dragon. But at this particular moment, it made much more sense.

Donovan, now that her eyes were glowing bright and she was looking through them with a new perspective, had a sort of aura around him that was dark, sludge like, and deadly to her sight, if that could somehow make sense. Stiles had an aura too, but his was light, and it gave off a sense of warmth.

Of course, Stiles' aura also gave off fear at this current moment, but not panic. Oh, if there was one things Stiles didn't do, anxious as he always ended up becoming, he never panicked. At least not to the point of not being able to think.

Which is why when Nixie roared, her dragon scream piercing the air and causing Donovan to become distracted, it gave Stiles the moment's release he needed to reach the pin that he'd been trying to get to.

Scaffolding fell, dust went everywhere, and long metal pipes dropped from the board that fell.

The slicing sound, of flesh being torn and severed, is what got Nixie to stop snarling. Her eyes stopped glowing, and the world returned to the normal shades of color she was used to. And she and Stiles both stared at Donovan, who was now run through by one of the pipes that had fallen when the scaffolding collapsed.

Stiles climbs down, shock and horror written over his face. Nixie… she's not exactly as sorry as Stiles is that Donovan is essentially guaranteed to die. She'd felt like killing him herself on a few occasions, like when he threatened the sheriff the first time, and then the second time, and when he'd almost reached Stiles in the station. And even now, she almost wishes she'd been the reason he was dead, since he had obviously hurt Stiles and had been intent on killing him.

Stiles reaches out to grab the pipe, but that's when Donovan's head slumps back, and he stops breathing. Stepping closer to him, Nixie puts a hand on his shoulder, and Stiles winces. Letting go and seeing blood on her palm, she asks, "What did he do to you?" "He… I… He…" Stiles just stares at him, and then says, "We… we can't stay here. We… we have to…" "Stiles…"

He turns to her, and then asks, "How are you here?" "I… I just felt like something was wrong. And something was. What did he do to you? Let me see." Stiles pulls his shirt aside to let her see the wound where a circle of teeth bit into his skin. Glaring at it, she takes a breath, and then says, "Alright. What's the plan?" "We… we have to report him. We… we have to call somebody." "Scott?"

"No!" Nixie stares at him for a moment, but then nods and says, "Alright. Not Scott. Who?" "Um… we just…" "Your dad?" "No! Nixie…" "Stiles, focus!" He turns back to her, and she says, "Who do we call?"

So he heads to the phone in the library, dials 911, and then doesn't say a word. He just breathes on the other end. As soon as they hang up on him, he prepares to leave, but Nixie says, "Wait. We need to make sure he can get in here." So Stiles grabs a book to jam the door open. And that's when the phone in Donovan's pocket rings.

Nixie glances back and asks, "Should we be worried about that?" "Yeah." "Why?" "It's mine." Nixie looks to him, and then says, "Jam the door. I'll get it."

She walks up to Donovan's dead body, a sick feeling twisting her stomach as she watches him, just stuck there, lifeless. Her moment of anger was over, and in it's place was that feeling of guilt that she knew would come with this new dead body, just like how she felt over all the dead bodies of those she couldn't save.

Pulling out Stiles phone, she sees that it's Malia calling. She hangs up, and then joins Stiles at the doors and waits for him to finish. Then they race out to his jeep, which Stiles curses and goes about quickly trying to fix. Nixie helps him, and then hops into the passenger seat while he scrambles around to the driver's side.

Nixie waits while he cranks it and then just sits there, unsure of what to do. Then he glances over at her and says, "What if they find him and come out here and find me? You shouldn't be…" "Stiles, I'm not leaving you." She buckles up for emphasis on that part, and then says, "Whatever you want to do right now, I am with you, all the way. Always."

Stiles stares at her, and then cuts the lights, and backs up into a dark section of the parking lot, just as the officer in the truck pulls up to check on the library.

Nixie closes her eyes for a second as he gets out, but says nothing to Stiles. They both sit there with baited breath as the officer disappears into the school. Nixie looks over at Stiles' bloody hand, at his shoulder that's still bleeding, and at Stiles looking at himself in the rearview mirror. Taking his other hand in hers, not minding how his thumb rubs against her fingers in an urgent manner every passing second, she says, "He was going to kill you Stiles." He looks over at her and nods, but she knows he's not feeling any better about it just because of that.

When the officer comes back out, Stiles turns on the radio quietly, and both he and Nixie stare when they say that no one is there, and mark it up as a prank call. Looking at each other, they wait for the patrol to leave, and then both leap out and rush back to the school.

Stiles stares at the spotless scene and Nixie does too because she hadn't been expecting all of that. Something to be hidden, yeah, sure. But there looked to be nothing wrong at all. The scaffolding wasn't broken and pipes weren't on the ground. The tarp that had been on the floor was gone.

But as far as the body, Nixie already knew who had taken that. But she didn't say anything to Stiles as he looked around in confusion. She didn't tell him she'd seen Jordan take Lucas' body out of the morgue. And she didn't tell him that she could smell the scent of something burning, the scent Jordan always left behind when he was in his other form.

Stiles reached out with his finger and found blood on a pipe. It was almost like if he hadn't found that, he might've been able to chalk the whole thing up as some kind of bad nightmare. But there would be no chance of that now. Even then, Nixie had seen everything too.

Turning back to her, he asks, "What?" Nixie shakes her head, and then rips off a corner of Jordan's shirt and uses it to mop up what little blood is left on the pipe. Then she turns to Stiles and says, "Your call. Tell me what we do."

They end up at his house, in his room. Nixie knows she eventually has to go back to the hospital. She's not old enough to discharge herself, and Melissa would probably throw a fit if she even tried to make that an excuse for her being gone. And she still didn't know what she was going to tell Lydia. She had planned on whatever this was being her excuse, but that was out of the question now. Stiles didn't want to tell anyone, especially Scott. And Nixie wasn't going to make him.

He keeps writing on the board, his hand shaking uncontrollably. He almost hadn't even washed his hand before going into his room, but Nixie had insisted. Now he was writing down the possibilities of what might've happened. He started with the idea, the hope more like, that Donovan wasn't even dead.

She knew that wasn't possible. An alpha with an injury like that would have a hard time surviving for any length of time. Donovan wasn't even supernatural. Or he was, but he wasn't a natural supernatural being.

Damn, these blurring lines are getting damned confusing.

Then Stiles angrily writes that he is dead. And then he writes down that someone must've taken the body. Those are the options. And Nixie already knows which one is correct.

Stiles starts erasing things, realizing that if he's not telling anyone that he can't leave the fact that Donovan is dead on his board. That's when he loses it. He gasps, cries out, grips the board in tight hands, his muscles straining, trying to relieve some of the stress and anxiety that must feel like it's crushing him.

"Stiles…" He shakes his head and says, "I'm fine." "Stiles…" "I am… I'm…" "Stiles, no."

She manages to put herself between him and the board, and then wraps her arms around him. It doesn't take him long to hug her back, squeezing her for all he is worth, to the point of pain in her side where she was injured previously.

She ignores it, and just lets him hold her. This is what he needs right now, and she'll be damned if she lets a little pain get in the way of her helping him.

They stay that way for a while, Stiles crying a little on her shoulder before pulling himself together. Then he sighs and asks, "How do you do it?" Nixie asks, "Do what?" "How do you manage it all?" She leans back and says, "I don't…" "Nixie… you've done this before. You hide wounds and injuries, you've hidden frustration and sadness. You hold it all together so that when everyone else can't they can turn to you for support and strength."

He shrugs as though helpless and asks, "How do you do it?" Nixie stares at him, and then cups his face in her hands. Kissing his forehead, she says, "I can do it, because you need me to. And for me, that's reason enough. There is later. There is always later, and that is when I'll worry about me and what I might want or need. You are always first. Always."

Stiles cries and asks, "Why can't I do that?" "You do. On so many occasions you do Stiles. But right now, at this moment. This isn't your moment to be strong. This is your moment to let me be that for you." And he hugs her again, and then they both jump when his phone rings.

Sighing and running a hand through his hair, he answers and asks, "Scott?" Nixie nods that she understands who it is, and listens as Scott says, "Stiles. Someone's taking the bodies."

Nixie and Stiles both freeze, for two very different reasons. Now Nixie listens even harder to see if Scott knows who exactly is taking them, and Stiles is obviously pondering if he somehow knows about Donovan already. "Stiles? You there?" "Yeah. Um… where? What are you talking about?"

"I'm at the animal clinic with Kira. Tracy's body is gone. The lock on the door was broken from the outside. And my mom just told me Lucas' body went missing from the morgue. They've been searching the whole hospital for it. Someone's stealing the bodies."

Scott then asks, "By the way, have you seen Nixie? Mom went to ask her if she knew about the bodies, and she's not in the room with Lydia." Nixie closes her eyes for a brief moment, and then comes up to the phone and hits the speaker button. "Hey Scott." "Nixie? What are you?" "I figured Stiles would want to know all of this, so I filled him in on everything. And he filled me in on some stuff I didn't already know. I'm heading back to the hospital, I promise. You know how anal I get about needing to be informed sometimes."

There's a pause, but Stiles slumps in relief when Scott buys it and says, "Look, just get back to the hospital. Have you gone back to sleep at all since we left you?" "Yeah, for a little while. Then I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. And I promise I'll apologize to your mom." "Alright. Be careful on your way back." "I will."

Once they hang up, Stiles asks, "You… you want me to drive you." "No, that's alright. I'm getting even faster, so it won't take me long." He nods, and then says, "Nix… I don't know…" "I'm not saying anything to anyone. This is your call. I will follow your lead, whatever you decide to do." Putting a hand on his good shoulder, she says, "You have me. Even if you feel like you don't have anyone else, you will always have me. Do you understand?" Stiles nods, and then hugs her again before she heads out of the house.

But she doesn't go straight to the hospital. She goes instead to the cabin in the woods that she'd stayed in during the time in which she couldn't afford a place of her own to live. She stashes Jordan's jacket and torn shirt there, and also the bloody shirt she took from Stiles' room. Then, with a sigh and an oncoming headache, she sprints back to the hospital, grabs another hospital gown, and slips back into the room.

Lydia sits up and asks, "Where did you go?" "Sorry. A lot of weird things happened tonight. Has anyone talked to you?" "Melissa for a while, but that's it. What else has happened?" "Well, and don't get mad, but I did go to see Stiles. But that was just so I could get a full and up to date report of absolutely everything that has happened since we both got stuck here."

And since it sounds like something she'd do, Lydia believes her too. Settling into the bed, she tells Lydia what happened at Sinema, what happened recently at the clinic and that Lucas' body is apparently missing. That last part Lydia knew thanks to Melissa, who Nixie had already seen in the hall and apologized profusely too.

She doesn't say anything about Jordan taking the bodies. She doesn't say anything about Donovan being dead or Stiles being the reason he died. She leaves all of that out, and then they both go back to sleep to get some rest, Nixie taking four headache pills before settling her head on the pillow.

She's not sure when they'll let her out of here, but she knows it definitely can't be soon enough.

* * *

By the time they let her and Lydia out of the hospital, Malia has had time to read an entire book.

Considering Malia hates books, and reading, and learning in general, Nixie definitely stands by her previous assessment that the hospital didn't let them out soon enough.

It was sort of her fault. Lydia could've left early, but requested to stay as long as Nixie did, and be dismissed with her. Usually, that's not allowed, but with Melissa on their side, they were granted permission on the basis that Lydia wanted to stay near the person who was responsible for saving her life. Sure, it was a stretch, kind of making Lydia seem more traumatized by the whole thing then she actually was, but it worked for those in charge and Lydia remained.

Jordan had stopped by countless times to check in on them, under the premise that he was giving them updates on the investigation and what steps were being taken. Of course, Tracy's body was missing and there was nothing else they could really do since no one knew where it was taken.

Well, except for Nixie.

She felt a little bad for keeping it from Lydia. She felt worse for keeping it from Jordan. The man, the love of her life, had no idea that at night, whenever a chimera died, he was collecting those dead bodies and taking them to the Nemeton, wherever that was. Nixie herself had only ever seen the tree stump one time.

Regardless, she knew that if Jordan's dreams were accurate, that's where the bodies were. But at the same time as she felt guilty, she also felt she was protecting him. At the very least, protecting him from being feared by everyone else. She knows the minute someone figures out who is taking the bodies and hiding them… well, suspicions will abound. Stiles even, would probably not want to trust Jordan with everything like Nixie will.

In any case, Jordan stops by constantly, and Lydia always eventually finds a convenient excuse to leave the room for a few minutes.

Being kissed breathless by him every single time Lydia leaves to give them privacy certainly helps to distract from the many conflicting problems she currently has. Hiding Stiles' involvement with Donovan. Hiding Jordan's involvement with the bodies. Well, not really hiding Jordan. Just not admitting what he's doing. And hiding all of the new developments with herself from everyone. The seeing the good and bad within a person, the aura of them that she saw with Stiles and Donovan, was probably definitely something she should tell someone. Deaton, if no one else. Or Jordan.

But Jordan… well, eventually he'd have his own problems to worry about. And Deaton was gone and wouldn't be back for… well, no one really knew. So for now, these new developments are being kept to herself.

She realizes this is kind of a set back in her promise to not hide from her friends anymore. They'd had this discussion last year when they found out her mom was in Eichen, found out she didn't have an actual home, and found out that she always hid when she was hurting so she didn't add to the ever growing list of problems they had.

Sure, she wasn't hiding that she was hurt. And she was still living with the Yukimara's. And everyone knew her mom was at Eichen. And everyone knew she was a dragon. But now, well, now she was hiding different things. She was hiding her developments as a dragon. She was covering for Stiles, for Jordan, and she somehow suspects it's only a matter of time before she has to cover for someone else.

In her mind, she already knows things around here are going to get a lot worse before they even come close to getting better. She just hopes it isn't as terrible as when they lost Alison. She doesn't think she could stand to lose another friend like that.

As she, Lydia, and Malia all walk into school this morning, Lydia and Nixie are taking a look at the book she read. Again, the fact that she's already finished it shows how long they've been away. Even with only one class, if she doesn't fail, it'll be a miracle.

Lydia looks at the cover and says, "The Dread Doctors by T.R. McCammon."

She slows her pace in the hall, staring at the cover for a moment in thought. Malia asks, "What?" Lydia looks to Nixie and says, "I don't know. There's something about it. What do you think?" Nixie shrugs and says, "I think if you've got a feeling about it, they definitely can't be friendly." Malia rolls her eyes and says, "I already established that."

Lydia turns to her and asks, "Has anyone actually read it yet?" "Just me. And I didn't understand any of it." Lydia nods and says, "We should probably all read it." "Kira's working on that." Nixie nods and says, "Someone can use the book itself. And this was in Tracy's room?" "Yeah, with a note on it that made it seem like she requested it herself."

Nixie and Lydia look at each other, and then shrug before continuing onto Malia's locker. Malia huffs and says, "And Stiles can't find anything on the author. He thinks it's a pen name."

Nixie already knows that much. Since Nixie was the only one who knew about Donovan, Nixie was also the only one Stiles trusted himself to call and talk to and give updates to. Unless someone actually called him, he hadn't been calling anyone else. Which Nixie is fine with for now. And she also knows he's busy looking into figuring out who's taking the bodies and who the dread doctors are and who wrote the book.

He's keeping himself busy. She doesn't blame him.

Lydia flips the book over and reads, "In a small New England town, teenagers are taken in the night and buried alive." They all look at each other at that, because that is exactly what Liam described the hole in the woods being. A place where the kids had all been buried and crawled their way out. Lydia continues, "Days later they emerge transformed, wreaking havoc and spreading terror, commanded by an ancient order of para-scientists known only as the dread doctors." Sighing, Lydia says, "Sounds vaguely familiar." Nixie nods and adds, "And eerily accurate." Lydia nods too and asks, "How does it end?"

Malia shuts her locker and says, "It doesn't. This is supposed to be volume one." Lydia rolls her eyes and says, "Oh, let me guess. There is no volume two?" "I think we're living volume two." Nixie looks to her, and then says, "Now we definitely need to read this book. Because if we're volume two, we seriously need to come up with a final ending to this bullshit."

Lydia and Malia both look at her. Cursing wasn't exactly brand new for her, but Nixie didn't do it often. It just simply wasn't something she did often. Lydia reaches out for her shoulder and asks, "You alright?" "I'm… well, no. Not really. Teenagers from our own school, some of them our age, and some of them younger, are being kidnapped, experimented on, turned into non-supernatural creatures with supernatural abilities, and so far, we are no closer to catching these dread doctors or to stopping them or to figuring out who, if there are any others, else is being turned into a chimera right beneath our noses."

Lydia and Malia both look at each other again, and then Malia asks, "When's the last time you saw Parrish?" Nixie looks to both of them at that, and then sighs and says, "Last Wednesday." Which, considering it was Monday, makes it a while. Lydia nods and says, "You need to go and see him tonight." "Not if we're having a book reading." "After the book reading, if we even do it tonight. And speaking of the reading, maybe the real question is this. Is this a novel, or someone's prediction?"

Nixie turns to her and asks, "You thinking banshee maybe?" "I don't know. But you're right. It sounds like it's going to be entirely too accurate for this to be a coincidence." Malia nods, and then the bell rings and they head off to class.

After class, as Nixie is pondering what assignment to start on with the free time she has, she catches a whiff of Scott and Theo's sent in the locker room.

She listens to Scott explain about the book, and Theo deny knowing about it. "You want me to read this?"

NO! Nixie wants to scream it. But Scott also says no, so she relaxes a little. But from the sound of it, he does plan on Theo reading it eventually. Glaring at the wall in front of her, she then hears Theo turn rapidly to the back of the book, more rapidly than she thinks he should. It's like he knows something is there.

And then he points out the acknowledgements page and Scott reads aloud, "For providing scientific perspective and invaluable insight, this book is dedicated to Dr. Gabriel Valack." "Do you know him?"

Nixie wants to snarl at Theo, for reasons she doesn't even completely understand. And as soon as Scott says he knows where Valack is, she knows they aren't reading tonight. They're going to Eichen.

Well, maybe. If she can convince Lydia that she needs to come as well.

* * *

"Lydia, I'm going with you." Lydia wasn't really budging on Nixie not coming. She insisted that Nixie needed to go and see Jordan, and get straight and unwound a little.

She has no idea just what exactly it is that has her wound up so tight. And sure, seeing Jordan might help. But that doesn't change the fact that Eichen is a house for nuts wackos, and the criminally insane. And that's not to mention all the supernatural creatures downstairs in the basement.

Nixie insisted on going to Stiles and seeing if he could convince Lydia to change her mind. And while Stiles couldn't convince Lydia to change her mind about Nixie going, he was doing the next best thing. He was insisting on going himself. Which wasn't the most promising outcome Nixie had hoped for, but it was better than Lydia going alone.

"Malia's not going either." Stiles rolls his eyes at Lydia and says, "Malia's not going because she knows that, that place is a nightmare asylum of insanity and death, okay? Let's go." And while pulling on his jacket, Stiles' winces. His shoulder is still in a lot of pain from what Donovan did to it. Nixie has seen the circular wound, knows how truly deep it went.

She took some of his pain from that too, took some of the injury. There's a fine circle on her shoulder in the same place that this wound rests on Stiles'. But she hides it well, and she's better at masking her pain than any of the others.

Lydia still sees his wince though, and calls him on it. He stares at her for a moment and says he has a bad elbow. And of course, being Lydia, she points out that it was his shoulder. Nixie wraps an arm around her and says, "Pain radiates Lydia. He tried to elbow me in the gut and it didn't work out so well. I have abs of steel beneath this beautifully toned stomach of mine."

It was a poor excuse, but Lydia seemed to buy it for the most part. And Stiles gave her a grateful look before insisting again that Lydia wasn't going to Eichen House without him. "Scott and Kira are going to be there." Stiles sighs and says, "Okay, I'm not letting you go to a place where one of the orderlies almost killed you." "He almost killed you too!" "And we're both still alive. See? Teamwork." Nixie grins as he walks past them to get in the car, and then looks to Lydia and shrugs before saying, "How about this? You let him go with you, and I will stop arguing about coming along too. I will go to see Jordan, no more arguments or excuses. Sound good?"

Lydia points and says, "You had better be so happy and giddy tomorrow that I have to slap sense and reality back into you." "Not likely, but I'll give it my best shot." "Good." She hugs Nixie and says, "And yes, I will call you the minute something happens that requires you to come." "Good."

It's later, as she's about to park outside Jordan's house, when her phone goes off and it's Scott calling. "Scott? What's up?" "I just… I need to tell someone about this." "Okay. Lay it on me." "It's Kira." He explains about looking at the supernatural aura around her, the fox spirit that had at one time looked like it was protecting her. "But now… now it looks almost like an overpowering presence. Like it's… like it could maybe even control her at times."

Nixie ponders that, and then asks, "Do you want me to come with you guys?" "No. I'm under strict orders not to call you for anything less than life and death threatening circumstances." Nixie huffs and says, "Lydia." "Yeah. Don't worry about it. She's fine for now. I just… I need to tell somebody else about it. Oh, and she's speaking Japanese in her sleep." "Is that not good?" "She doesn't know any Japanese. Her parents do, but she doesn't."

Nixie rubs her temple at that, and then asks, "Is there anything I can do while you guys are at Eichen? Any research or anything you can think of that I might be able to help with." Scott sighs and says, "I wouldn't even know where to start, so not tonight. Look, I'm sorry. Go and have a good time with Parrish. And yes, everyone is aware that they are to call you if the need arises, no hesitations." "Good."

Sighing, she then jumps when Jordan asks from the door behind her, "Everything okay?" Smiling and laughing a little, she says, "Yeah. At least, I think. Scott's worried about Kira and her fox spirit. Don't tell him I told you that." Jordan nods, and then holds the door open for her as she comes in. Sliding off her jacket and hanging it up, she takes a deep breath and then sighs and moans before saying, "Oh my God, it smells amazing. Whatever it is." Jordan chuckles and wraps his arms around her from behind. Kissing the side of her neck gently, he says, "Good. It's a bit of everything. You can have your pick. Chinese chicken and shrimp. Italian pasta in a garlic pesto sauce. Steak and potatoes."

Nixie leans back against him and asks, "Are you planning on feeding an army?" He kisses her neck again, tugging more against her skin this time, and then says beside her ear, "No. Just you and me. Multiple times if necessary."

She blinks at that, and then smirks and asks, "Am I being held hostage?" "Only to the point where, you cannot leave unless someone calls you with an actual emergency that requires your presence. And you have to use speaker phone when answering those calls, or I might not believe you and keep you here anyway."

Nixie laughs, and then turns in his arms and wraps herself around him. Burying her face against his neck and breathing in deeply, she sighs and says, "I'm pathetic. I feel like I haven't seen you in ages." "It's been a while, compared to normal." Nixie nods, and then kisses his neck, his jaw, his chin, and then finally settles on his lips.

Her back ends up against the wall, much gentler than he would usually be with her. He was never rough by any means, but he usually wasn't quite as careful.

Considering her previous injuries though, and the current ones she's just healed from that are still sore, she doesn't complain. She just moans when he teases her hips, and then hops up and locks her legs around his waist. He finds her thighs easily and holds her up against him, finding the wall again and pinning her there while never breaking the kiss.

She doesn't pull away until air becomes absolutely necessary, and by then he's panting as well. He still kisses her neck though, and then asks, "Are you hungry?" "Starving." He chuckles and says, "Good."

And with that, he lets her down, and then leads her into the kitchen where the smorgasbord of food is waiting.

While they eat, Jordan tells her about being back to doing actual work on the force. Not just desk work. He doesn't once mention the previous dream he had about her and Lydia, or about anything to do with him going out at night and taking bodies and hiding them at the Nemeton.

Nixie tells him about school, and about the dread doctors, and about what her friends and her are doing to try and get a handle on what exactly is happening in this town. She doesn't mention knowing he's stealing the bodies, even if he doesn't know it. She doesn't mention any of the additional wounds she has that he doesn't already know about. And she certainly doesn't mention that Donovan is dead and that Stiles is kind of the reason behind that.

In spite of all that though, Nixie feels immensely better by the time they move to the living room. He pops in a classic western movie with Clint Eastwood as the star. He knows she likes the Clint Eastwood movies. And as he sits on the couch with her head resting in his lap while she lounges out on the rest of it, he can't help but smile and think that if he could come home to her every day… well, then all the other chaos that continues to happen in this town would definitely be worth it.

His hand slips under her shirt and his fingers gently touch over the scar on her stomach. Not the new one, but an old one from Peter. Then he finds the new one and traces it too. Nixie turns to look up at him, and then asks, "You okay?" "Yeah. You?" "I'm great right now." He smiles at that, and then leans down to kiss her. She sighs, and then asks, "Can we move? I'm cold." He nods and moves so he's leaning back into the corner of the couch. Nixie settles between his legs and curls up on her side against his stomach and chest. He pulls a blanket over her, and then wraps his arms around her.

His warmth wraps around her too, and she sighs and says tiredly, "If someone calls me, please wake me up." "I will. I promise. I love you baby." "I love you Jordan." He kisses the top of her head, and then leans his own head back and closes his eyes, getting a little peaceful rest in as well while she's in his arms.

Nixie has had nightmares before. Everyone has had one or two at some point in their life. Never before though, had she had nightmares so vivid. Especially not while in Jordan's arms. But here she was, dreaming several different things all at once. She sees Kira, somehow totally electrified, and Scott practically on fire because of it. She sees Stiles and Lydia in hiding. She sees Malia very nearly wrecking a truck with Theo, an image she doesn't fully understand or like. Malia seems to be trusting him entirely too easily, even more so than Scott.

When she jerks awake, she can see her reflection in the dark television screen. Her eyes are glowing, her teeth are lengthened. And her scales… her scales are showing. A bright sapphire blue, they appear over her entire face and down her neck. And when she looks down at her hands, her scales are there too, and her talons are extended.

Closing her eyes, she focuses on breathing, and feels herself slowly change back. Turning once she's done, she finds Jordan still asleep behind her. Sighing in relief that he didn't see that or wake up, she stands up from the couch and checks her phone. No calls. Yet.

Looking back down at Jordan, she leans over him and kisses him gently on the lips. But as she tries to pull back, his hand finds the back of her head, and he tilts his head to deepen the kiss. Sighing into his mouth, she pulls back and says, "I need to go." "Stay." Opening her eyes to look at him, she smiles and says, "We agreed. That's only possible on the weekends." Jordan huffs and kisses her again, but then sighs and asks, "Is it terrible if I ask you to stay again?"

Nixie stares at him for a moment, and then bites her lip before whispering, "No." Jordan smiles at her, and she laughs lightly before saying, "You're a terrible influence. But I love you." "Good. I love you too." She kisses him again, and then says, "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, I'll be right back." He nods, and then rises too and says, "I'm gonna heat up some of the food. You hungry again?" "A little. I wouldn't mind more of that Italian stuff." "Alright then."

In the bathroom, Nixie calls Lydia, who answers with, "Your timing is impeccable. And don't get mad. I would've called you, but it turned out to be impossible." "What happened?" "The dread doctors came. Um… look, it's a complicated story. I'm putting us on speaker so everyone can talk."

Together they give her a rundown on what exactly happened that night. And Nixie is terrified that somehow, her dreams were accurate. "Everyone's okay?" Everyone answers yes, and so Nixie sighs and says, "Whatever anyone does, no one else start reading this book without me. Got it?" "Got it Nix."

After that, she calls Malia, who tells her that somehow, she remembers that the desert wolf, her mother, is responsible for her killing her family. Nixie listens patiently as she explains, and then asks, "Were you with Theo?" Malia pauses, and then says, "Yeah. How did you…" "Don't ask. Malia, you know that Stiles and I don't trust him." "Yeah, but I don't understand why. I mean, he's helped us. He's helped us a lot. He helped you. Gave you his belt to keep you from bleeding out." "I would've been fine. Look… Malia…"

She sighs and says, "I just… I don't like him. I have a bad feeling about him." "Alright Nixie. I get it. But before I actually fully agree with you, or Stiles, I'm gonna need some proof of him being some evil villain." Nixie nods and says, "Just… please tread carefully." "Fine."

Hanging up, Nixie sighs and leans against the sink in the bathroom. Upon looking in the mirror, her eyes are glowing again. "Nothing is wrong! What the hell?" Closing her eyes, she blinks, and then they go back to normal. Sighing, she exits the room just as Jordan is coming down the hall. "Hey. You alright?" "Yeah. I'm fine. Why?" "In there a while. You sure?" "Yeah. I was just checking on the others while I was at it. There was a slight hiccup, but everything is fine and there is no immediate reason for me to leave tonight."

Jordan grins and asks, "Does that mean I have complete permission to keep you hostage tonight?" "No."

But she smirks at Jordan's confused face, and then says, "To be a hostage I'd have to be unwilling to stay."

* * *

Chapter 5! Woohoo! So, you guys let me know what you think. I'm gonna go ahead and post these five chapters since I've got them typed up and uploaded. Bear with me on the rest of the story guys. It's technically all finished, but there is proof reading to do and such things. (I don't like having simple grammatical errors in my works. If I can help it that is.) FYI, if anyone reading sees a particularly confusing mistake when they read it, shoot me a message or something and let me know. I'll fix it.

So... let me know what you guys think. Hope you're enjoying it. More chapters to follow. :)


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

Okay, I have an update, kind of. For those who already read the first five chapters and are getting back to this point, you'll probably notice the difference. For new readers, this shouldn't affect you. So... when I first started writing these stories, I didn't know that the name of Stiles' dad was Noah. So I picked John. Not sure why. That's just what I went with. But then season 6 aired, and it became apparent that his name was Noah. So for the story I wrote in Season 4, I fixed the name. And I've already fixed it in my story for Season 5b as well. But for some reason, I forgot to fix it for season 5a before I started uploading these stories. And I also didn't catch it in my prior proofreading (so stupid). Anyway, point is, I've corrected it now. So his name is Noah again. Hope that's not too confusing for anyone.

Okay, sorry for the interruption. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 6: Episode 5x6

"Chimeras." Nixie nods at Noah's word, and Stiles adds in, "Two dead Chimeras." Nixie glances over at him. She's not accusing him or looking at him because she knows that's not entirely the truth. There are three dead chimeras.

No, she's looking at him because he sounds terrible. He still smells of anxiety, but since that's not new for him, Malia doesn't really notice the difference. She'd have to use something other than werewolf senses to pick up on Stiles' new mood. Like the drop in his tone of voice. He sounds serious almost all the time lately, which is unusual for him. He also hasn't exactly been as willing to hold long conversations in a one on one type of way except for with Nixie.

He's stressed, and she doesn't blame him. He feels guilty about Donovan. He is working himself tirelessly because of the guilt, which isn't really helping him. And he doesn't trust Theo, but everyone else is starting to.

Well, except for her. Using a belt to help save her or not. Coming up with awesome stories so he somehow relates to everyone, or not. She doesn't like him. She hasn't figured out yet how to turn that weird sight back on that she'd used the night Stiles killed Donovan, but she'd bet money that if she could, Theo would look even darker and deadlier than Donovan.

Malia looks to Noah too and adds, "And eight new ones." Nixie nods and says, "Ten in all." Noah, still looking at his board, says, "I'm thinking maybe eleven." Nixie tilts her head and asks, "Why eleven? I mean, not that it isn't totally possible that they're working on making more, but why just adding one to the total in particular." Noah turns to her, and then says, "Because of this." And he adds Donovan's picture to the board.

Stiles and Nixie look at each other, but Nixie shakes her head, telling him silently that there's no way that Noah somehow already knows about Donovan being dead. And he didn't add Donovan to the dead list they'd just named. He only added Donovan to the total list of Chimeras altogether. He probably figures Donovan is still alive.

Which kind of makes her stomach twist in a sick way, but she ignores that and goes back to listening to Noah as he shows them something now on a computer screen.

"Our tech guys confirmed something for me. They said both the holding cell lock and cameras could have malfunctioned because of something electromagnetic."

Noah seems to be looking at one of them for some other type of confirmation. Nixie knows it would typically be Stiles jumping on something like this, trying to overthink his way to a solution already. He was usually very good at thinking up something witty to say once new information came about. But not now, not with Donovan's face now stuck on the board in his dad's office.

Which left Nixie and Malia to fill in the gap, and Malia obviously wouldn't. And even if she did, that would look strange and Noah would probably start wondering what was wrong with his son.

But not if Nixie spoke, which is why she nods and says, "Makes sense. Both run on electricity, and are probably connected even by the same electrical systems and wiring. Right?" Noah nods, and then reach over and picks up the book that Malia is still keeping on hand. "You said that, uh, these guys…"

Malia jumps in and adds, "Dread doctors." "Are we really calling them that?" Nixie shrugs and says, "Well, we were trying to come up with a better name on our own, but then Malia found the book with their actual name on it, and so now it kind of just makes sense to stick with what's there." Noah looks at her for a moment with a raised eyebrow, to which she says, "What? Let's please devote our brain power to much more important things. Like figuring out what the hell they want so we can stop them. Much more useful than making up names."

Noah finally grins, just a little, and Nixie smiles in return. He holds up the book again and says, "It's how they got in Eichen isn't it. Electromagnetically, or whatever." Malia nods and says, "So, they broke Donovan out." Nixie glances over at Stiles, who is still currently having a problem meeting anyone's eyes. Back to Noah, she says, "What I don't get is how they're choosing who they take. I mean, I could almost understand Donovan."

Noah gives her a look, but she says, "Just on a personality basis Noah. Donovan… well, he was hateful, and that's putting it charitably. But Tracy was soft-spoken and nice. She was fearful where Donovan really wasn't, not counting the time that Tracy nearly killed him."

Malia nods to her, and then sighs and says, "Okay. Donovan's a chimera. Let's go ahead and just all agree that that's probably a fact." Noah nods and says, "Yeah. But is he a failure like Lucas and Tracy?" Stiles literally turns away from the room, but Nixie stops him from leaving. Shaking her head and giving his arm a squeeze, she tries to stress without words how bad it would look if he left right at this very minute.

She's not sure he completely gets it, but he doesn't argue with her. He knows she's on his side, whatever else happens with the Donovan situation. So he remains, but with his back turned to Malia and Noah.

Malia grabs a red marker and says, "If he is, he's probably dead." Nixie nods in agreement and says, "Most likely." But Noah stops her and says, "Not until I've seen a body. We can't just jump to that conclusion without proof." So Malia puts it down and scans over the board again. It's usually not her thing, to try and put all of this together this way. But ever since she first saw them… well, she's been more invested in catching and stopping them.

Nixie understands that. Malia had done her best to save Tracy. She fought her own urge and instinct to put down the obvious threat that Tracy posed. She tried to help her and save her, and might've succeeded, if the dread doctors hadn't arrived and over powered her.

It pisses Malia off to no end, and it also scares her to think that there are people, once humans, who had someone become so powerful that she couldn't fight them off to save her friends or the rest of the chimeras. Nixie gets it. She really does.

Noah then turns to look back at them, looking at Stiles who is turned away from them. "You're uncharacteristically quiet." Nixie knew their luck couldn't last. She'd been trying to fill in the silences. But while Stiles had trained her in the fine art of sarcasm and being a smartass sometimes, she wasn't Stiles himself. She couldn't talk for him.

At the very least though, he turned and came up with saying, "Yeah sorry. I'm, uh… I'm just trying to think about it." He pauses for a second longer, and then looks at Nixie and finally starts talking again. "Let's get back to your point. These are all teenagers, right? So, now we should be trying to figure out why these teenagers?"

Turning back to his dad and Malia, he says, "If the dread doctors, if they went through all that. Burying them, killing them…" He pauses, and Nixie damn near bursts into a smile when he sounds like his old self when he adds in, "breaking one of them out of jail." Noah nods and says, "They couldn't have been chosen at random." Malia nods and says, "They had to have something in common."

Noah adds, "Something that made them right for this experiment." Stiles nods and says, "Something that made them special." Nixie looks to Noah and says, "I think that's gonna be more in your territory to solve though." He looks at her and asks, "Why?" "Because we go to school with these kids, and I've already told you everything that we know about them basically. And all of that was things that made them different. Nothing that they had in common. If we're going to find something about them that's the same, or at least similar, I don't think we're going to find it in a school record or in their locker."

Noah nods and says, "Good point. Although Tracy and Donovan were both connected through Tracy's father. He was Donovan's lawyer." Stiles nods and says, "But that doesn't account for Lucas. As far as we do know, he didn't have any beefs with the law or have any need for a lawyer, so that scraps that connection."

They spend a little more time thinking on it, and then Noah sends them out of the office. He does call Nixie back though, and he asks, "Are you going to see Parrish?" "Yeah. Why?" "I have some unfinished reports I'd like you to take to him. He can finish them at home when he has time. If you could somehow emphasize that they should be done by tomorrow, that would be great." "I'll do my best, but my emphasizing skills on him getting work done while I'm around are slim at best."

Noah rolls his eyes and says, "Here. Just take it."

* * *

"Arms up." Lydia puts her arms back in front of her face and Jordan nods and says, "This way you can block attacks to your face and your head while always keeping your eyes on your enemy." Lydia nods that she understands, and Jordan asks, "Ready?" She nods again, and he moves a hand towards her.

He does everything at half speed for now, giving her the chance to learn how she should block him. He does speed up with time, but as expected, that's when she forgets. He gets her chin, and she closes her eyes in annoyance. Not at him, but with herself.

Nixie made it look so easy to be brave sometimes, to fight and to defend herself and those she loves. Lydia wants to be able to do that. Well, maybe not all of it. She knows she doesn't have the ability to heal if she were to jump in front of a berserker who was about to cut down one of her friends. But she'd still like to think she could do something… anything to help fight off all of the things they have to deal with.

Jordan nods and says, "It's alright. You're not going to be perfect after only a few tries." She nods, though she considers the few days that they've already been doing this more than a few tries. But Jordan seems to think she's doing okay, and when she was working with Nixie the other day, Nixie seemed pleased too.

Nodding to herself, she says, "I'm okay. Keeping going." But Jordan looks at her and asks, "You sure? Maybe we should stop after a few." "Why?" He gestures to where he knows her side was split and says, "I don't want your stitches to get unstitched." Lydia rolls her eyes and says, "They're fine. And did Nixie put you up to that?"

Jordan shakes his head, but adds, "Though if that makes it easier to make you take a break, I'll be happy to use that excuse." "Not really." He gives her a look, and Lydia huffs and unzips her jacket and tugs down her sweatpants enough for him to see the bandage. "See, no blood."

She even pulls the bandage away a little bit so he can see the cut in its entirety, and Jordan frowns a little as he looks at it. Based on the blood loss at the scene, and what had soaked into Lydia clothes, he knows her cut should've been deeper than what her scar shows it had been.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that a kanima was the one who wounded her. Maybe that had some bearing to it. But if it did, wouldn't Nixie have also lost more blood. If you applied those same dynamics, Lydia's small cut that proved almost fatal was nothing compared to the hole that Nixie had stabbed through her stomach. And sure, she was a dragon, but he'd seen her wounds and injuries before. There had to be a point in which Nixie wouldn't just heal or get better.

So far she hadn't reached it, and the kanima venom hadn't worked on her, so Jordan supposes that could also factor in. Still, he didn't quite understand the small scar on Lydia. She was the most human out of all of them, but the gash that he's looking at shouldn't have exactly caused her to be rushed into the OR as quickly as she had been.

Lydia drops her coat, but notices his gaze and asks, "What?" "How deeply were you cut?" She shrugs and says, "I don't know. Enough to need a tourniquet. Nixie was brilliant on that point." Jordan nods and says casually, "She's always brilliant." Lydia smiles and says, "You two are adorable." "I do wish you'd stop saying that though. At the very least, I'm not adorable." "Would you rather I use the term sexy." "I'm not exactly thrilled about _you_ saying that one either."

She laughs, and then takes a breath and says, "Well, then you're stuck with adorable, until such a time that you two are no longer in hiding and I can call you whatever I want to anyone listening. Now, quite stalling. I'm ready when you are."

Now he rolls his eyes at her and takes off his jacket before they start moving again. Punch and block, punch and block. She's getting better, there is no doubt in that. But he gets her again, trapping her against his chest, arms wrapped around her to hold her still.

Lydia winces a little, and Jordan asks, "What did you do wrong?" "Uh… I forgot to keep my arms up." Jordan nods and says, "Right. But don't worry. You're muscles have memory. With enough practice, they'll remember for you."

Nixie is just walking in the door and coming up the hall, when she pauses at the sight of them. Just like at his truck outside of Tracy's house, she can't help but see the situation they're in as intimate.

And if that wasn't already enough, Lydia leans her head back on his shoulder and sighs. Both are panting a little, obviously having been training. Nixie stares at them for a beat more, and then shakes her head and looks away, hanging her coat up and focusing for a moment on the files in her hand. Jordan loves her. He tells her all the time. And she loves him. And it's not like they're kissing. Jordan obviously just caught Lydia off guard, which was something she often was because she didn't remember to keep her arms up often enough. She was getting better, but there was still work to be done.

Nodding to herself, Nixie turns to step inside, when Lydia suddenly pulls away as though in pain. Moving faster now, making herself known and dropping the files and her bag on the counter, she comes around to Lydia's front and asks, "What's wrong? Lydia?" Jordan steps up too and asks, "What is it?"

Lydia just mutters, "Muscle memory," but Nixie follows her eyes to the copy of the dread doctors book that was in her bag on the floor. Looking to Lydia again, she says, "Hey. You haven't read it have you?" "No. Not yet. I haven't forgotten. I promised you…" Nixie nods, and then pulls her in for a hug and says, "You're alright. Okay?" "Yeah."

Nixie then looks up to Jordan and smiles gently before sighing and saying, "Um… Noah told me to bring you some files to finish filling out. I'm supposed to emphasize getting them done before tomorrow. So… this is me emphasizing it." Jordan grins gently, and then heads to the counter to look at them.

Lydia eventually leans back, and then sighs and says, "Come on. You're here. You can teach me." "Aren't you tired?" "We've only been working on this a little while." To which Nixie looks to Jordan, who without even turning, knows Nixie is about to ask him how long they've been training. And Nixie grins and relaxes even further when he answers ahead of her, "Thirty minutes or so." Lydia nods and says, "See. Not even a whole hour yet. Come on."

So Nixie changes into some runner's pants, tennis shoes, and a tank top, and takes over where Jordan left off.

Lydia likes both of their methods of teaching, but if she's honest, she knows she'll learn more from Nixie. Well, not exactly more, but she'll learn quicker from Nixie. Jordan was about time and patience. He wasn't wrong about muscle memory. That would take practice and time.

But Nixie knew the immediacy of the need to know how to fight. She'd learned long ago, when her mother had started losing her mind, and it still hadn't been quick enough. And even after her mother was gone, she kept training herself, kept learning, so that she would never feel so defenseless again.

Of course, going to Eichen and being pinned down by her mother hadn't helped her in that respect. But Nixie accepted that it was her own fault. She hadn't wanted to hurt her mother. More than that, she'd wanted her mom to snap out of it, to remember her even if just for one second. And that's why she'd hesitated, and that's why her mother got the upper hand and nearly killed her.

In any case, Nixie moved faster from the start, like any of their enemies would be doing if they came at Lydia. She never hit Lydia hard. She always pulled her punches. She pulled them even more than maybe she ought to, but Lydia understood that Nixie didn't want to accidentally pull something like she'd done with Peter when she'd socked him in the jaw last year.

They train for the next forty minutes or so. And then it's actually Lydia who stops them. She glances down at Nixie's side, and then asks, "How you feeling?" "I'm fine." Rolling her eyes at Lydia's concerned look, she says, "Look."

She pulls her shirt up and reveals her scars, no bandaging needed on hers. She's fine, all healed over. Lydia nods, but then narrows her eyes when she sees the small but still dangerous looking scar on her side, a different one from where Tracy's tail had pierced through her body. "How did this one happen?" "Tracy again. Her tail did a weird thing when it came back out. Not really sure what exactly, considering I was stuck in a split second of shock."

Lydia nods, buying that story. Nixie knew eventually either she or Jordan would ask about it. Kira was the only one who would be able to argue with that story, but she was confident that it wouldn't come to someone asking Kira. So long as she didn't try to hide it from anyone, so long as she acted like she was happy to inform them of why the new scar was there, she's pretty sure she'll be okay.

Moving to the counter together and grabbing some water, Lydia asks, "What is all that anyway?" Jordan looks up from the files and says, "Case reports. I've been meaning to get around to them, but I just haven't had time." Lydia nods and asks, "Should I leave?" "Only if you want. You're not bothering me." Lydia nods again, and then shrugs and says, "I'll leave. See you two later." Nixie frowns and asks, "What? Lydia, where are you…" "Bye!"

Lydia shuts the door behind her, and Nixie puts her hands on her hips and says, "Now where does she think she's going?" "Nixie…" She turns back to Jordan, who is smirking at her in amusement before looking at a report again. "What?"

He finishes writing something down, and then stands up and moves over towards her. Backing her into the wall behind her, as he usually would since she's no longer in pain, he says, "With all the time she spends working on settling us in positions where we're left all alone, I'd think you'd be accustomed to noticing when she's trying to get out of our way."

Nixie blushes a little, but smiles up at him and says, "Oh. My bad." He chuckles, and then bends down to kiss her. Sighing into his mouth, she reaches up to wrap her arms around his shoulders, and smiles when he grabs her thighs so he can lift her up. Settling her legs around his waist, she hums in approval when his tongue traces her lips before slipping into her mouth. His hands trail up her sides, over her arms, and then back down and back to her thighs, where he squeezes before pulling her off the wall.

In the living room, he lays her down on the couch and then lays down over her, never breaking the kiss. Her nails scrape gently over his head and through his hair, and Jordan moans before pulling back to breathe. Nixie is the one who trails kisses down his neck this time. She moves him a little more over her and kisses down his chest and then over each pectoral muscle. Her hands trail over his biceps and then she moves to holding onto his sides with her hands, keeping him in place.

He hisses when she sucks hard on a section of skin to the side of his right pectoral muscle, and then comes back down and claims her mouth in his again.

They lay there kissing for a while, until they both need a break to breathe. Jordan rests his head on her chest, listening to the rhythm of her heart as it slows to normal, and closing his eyes in peace as she holds him to her.

He doesn't even realize that he falls asleep just like that, on top of her and on the couch, until he wakes up and sees the sun setting outside. Lifting his head to look out the window, he looks down to Nixie when she mumbles incoherently for a moment. Then she opens her eyes and looks up at him as he lifts himself up on his elbows.

Looking down at her, his eyes tracing over her features, he says, "Sorry." She just smiles and says, "Don't be. You were tired, and I didn't mind. Besides, I think I should feel very flattered that you find me comfortable enough to take a nap on." Jordan chuckles, and then leans down and kisses the center of her chest before whispering, "You're soft in all the right places Nixie." "Good answer."

She still stays with him for another hour, long enough to eat something. Then she leaves, also leaving strict instructions for him to finish his reports.

He agrees on the condition that she kiss him before she leaves, which delays her another ten minutes before she heads out the door.

She still remembers Lydia and Jordan and how their position before made them look intimate. But it's Lydia, her best friend. And it's Jordan, the love of her life; her mate. She has nothing to worry about, is what she tells herself. Nothing at all.

Well, at least as far as their concerned. As far as everything else goes, however. Well, there's plenty else to worry about.

* * *

Nixie has to bite her tongue to keep from snarling when she sees Scott with Theo the next day. Is no one listening at all to what she and Stiles are saying? She wishes she could turn her eyes back on. She wishes she could so she could see proof of what Theo really is. But she can't. And until she can, she's not even going to consider telling Scott or anyone else about her new developments as a dragon. Her speed, her sight, her eyes that are getting harder to control for some reason, and her ability to take someone else's pain and make it her own.

Nope, definitely keeping that to herself until the rest of this bullshit is over.

She keeps her distance from them, but listens in on the conversation, and how Theo makes a point of offering to read the book with them. Somehow, she doubts it'll have any effect on him at all. Glaring, she doesn't even realize her eyes are glowing, again, until Stiles comes up to her where she's standing and says, "Nix. Eyes." She blinks them back to normal, and then sighs and says, "Thanks."

He nods and asks, "Are you alright? That's been happening a lot lately." "Yeah. I mean, I figure it's just because I'm continuously getting closer to eighteen. God forbid when November arrives. I'm going to have to stop going to school until after my birthday." Stiles puts an arm around her shoulders and says, "I'll bring you your work."

Smiling, she says, "I knew you would. Come on. Let's get this day over with."

* * *

"My mom's book club usually has more wine."

Nixie grins at Lydia's comment. Literally anything to make this situation seem lighter than it is might help them get through this damn book.

It wasn't until tonight at her lake house that Theo was informed that the reason no one had finished it was because Nixie had insisted on all of them being together. More specifically being with her, but altogether was the general idea in her mind.

He still finds her fascinating, and she still doesn't like him. Nothing surprising in those two facts, which she actually takes a little comfort in.

Stiles puts an arm around Nixie next to him and says, "Well, they also probably didn't read books that cause violent hallucinations." Nixie runs a hand up and down his back and Scott says, "That's why Malia's here." Kira nods and says, "So none of us go running into traffic." Scott adds in more solemnly, "Or worse."

"Like what happened to Judy." Everyone looks up at Malia, who then explains, "Chapter 14." Of course. Something horrible in this book that no one else has read yet, but that they are all going to read. Lydia sighs and says, "Maybe I should have my mother read it. She might remember a girl with a tail leaping off the ceiling and attacking everyone."

Stiles notes, "Yeah, if it works." "It has to." Nixie's head snaps to her, and she remembers how Lydia had looked almost in pain while looking at the book during her training with Jordan. She also remembers how intimate they looked.

Not the time. Definitely not the time.

Scott asks, "What does that mean?" Lydia looks up at him, and then takes Nixie's free hand in hers and says, "I think I saw them during my surgery." Nixie tilts her head, and asks, "Is that what you were remembering at Jordan's house?" Theo raises an eyebrow, maybe about to ask who Jordan was or why he wasn't here reading with them. If he had been though, apparently Stiles gave him a look that clearly said shut up. Nixie knows because Stiles hugged her tighter, protectively.

She wonders if Stiles would be so protective of Jordan for her if he knew that Jordan was the one stealing the bodies. Lydia nods in response and says, "When I look at the cover of the book, it's almost like… like…"

Theo adds in, "A memory trying to surface." Nixie has to close her eyes, because she knows her eyes started glowing. It just took the sound of his voice now, and she was furious.

Something was definitely not right with him. But it was still only her and Stiles that thought that. Even Lydia, who Nixie had expected to stay wary of him because she herself was, looks at him now as though he had the potential of being a friend and says, "Yeah."

Kira looks around and asks, "Isn't that what Valack wanted when he wrote it?" Lydia and Stiles nod, both of them having been the ones to actually talk to Valack. And then Lydia says determinedly, "If they did something to me, I want to know what it is."

So they each take a copy, find a comfortable chair to sit in, and then start flipping through the pages.

It's a gruesome story, very accurate and similar to what is already happening here in Beacon Hills. Nixie is half way through when Scott decides to ask, "Anyone feel anything yet?" Stiles and Malia have already left the room for the moment, but Kira says, "Tired."

Scott looks at her knowingly and nods, and then Lydia comments, "Hungry." Nixie smiles at both of them. Those obviously weren't the types of feelings that Scott had asked about, but those were the answers he received. It relieved the tension a little, if nothing else.

But just like that, her good mood vanished and she had to clench her eyes shut once more as they started to glow when Theo says, "I think he meant the book." Opening her eyes again, she looks down at her hand to see the talons on her right hand surfacing. Dropping her set of pages into her seat for the moment, she looks over at him and says, "No shit Sherlock."

She walks off before anyone can comment on what she said. From what she can hear, at least Theo has good enough sense to shut up for now.

She comes into the kitchen where Malia is pouring some coffee into glasses. When Stiles spots her, he grabs a third cup and then goes to get the creamer so he can make her a glass. She relaxed instantly. Stiles getting her a cup of coffee was normal, and helpful. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to forget anything was currently wrong.

And of course, it was stripped away too. Stiles had no sooner handed her the mug with her coffee when Malia asks, "What did you do to your shoulder?" Stiles looks up and asks, "What are you talking about?" She gives him a look and says, "I can smell the blood. What happened?"

Stiles, for a moment, doesn't say anything. But Nixie, knowing too long a silence would definitely let Malia know something was up, says, "His jeep died on him again. It was the night you kept trying to call him I think. Isn't that what you told me Stiles?" Malia looks up at her and asks, "The night you went to see him from the hospital?" "Yeah. Same night I think. Right Stiles?"

He nods and says, "Yeah, jeep died on me again. I went to check the engine and the hood fell on my shoulder."

Nixie isn't sure Malia is convinced. She seems to be focusing on something, possibly Stiles' heartbeat. Nixie hopes Stiles at least seems halfway calm.

To help himself, he asks, "Wait, so, how much do you remember anyway? With the accident. Did it play like a movie in your head, or was it like being completely in it again?" Malia looks at both of them, and then says, "In it." Stiles nods, and then asks, "Was it just the crash? Nothing else?"

Malia's pause is too long, and Nixie tilts her head when Malia says "Nothing."

Then Malia looks into the next room. The room where Theo is sitting with his head turned so his ear is listening in on them. Theo knows something the rest of them don't. Malia is trusting him with something that she isn't trusting with everyone else.

Malia trusts Theo. Which means Nixie can't trust Malia.

She feels something inside of her crack a little. Not like her heart breaking, not exactly. It was something similar, and yet it was different. She isn't sure what to make of it. All she knows is that Malia trusts Theo. And if Malia trusts Theo, then Malia might tell Theo things, let things slip… and she's not about to allow that if she can help it.

So from now on, she's going to have to censor everything she says to Malia, and she's going to have to listen carefully to make sure that Malia isn't trying to hold anything more back from her than she already is.

Malia exits the room later, and Nixie grabs her copy of the book and joins Stiles in the kitchen. The two of them spend another hour reading, in which time she finishes the story. Yeah, no ending. Crappy but accurate book.

After that, she flips the packet over and grabs a pen. Stiles looks up and watches her scribble something down. He's about to ask what's up, when she pushes it in front of him. It says, _"No talking. People have sensitive ears. Malia's lying."_ Stiles looks up at her, and then takes the pen and writes out, _"About what?"_ _"About her memory and what she saw. It wasn't nothing. She saw something more."_

Stiles runs a hand through his hair, and then asks, _"How do you know?" "Her heartbeat a little. More than anything, I saw her and Theo exchange a look. He knows what else she saw. He knows something we don't. And whatever it is, Malia doesn't want to share with the rest of us. And something tells me Theo isn't going to tell anyone either."_

Stiles freezes, and then looks up at Nixie. She nods, and then writes out, _"She trusts him."_ Stiles nods, putting a hand over his mouth and sighing before he reaches down and writes out, _"Which means we can't trust her. Not entirely anyway."_ Nixie nods, and then takes her copy of the book off the table. Finding a lighter and some fluid, she drops it in the sink and burns it.

When Scott looks over and asks what she's doing, she says, "I'm burning this crappy novel. Where's Kira?" "Went to rest. You finish it?" "Yeah." "You feel anything." "Not yet. I'm gonna fix up some pizza bites. Sound good?" He nods, and Nixie sets about cooking some food for everyone.

It's later still, when everyone has finally tired out and fallen asleep, that Nixie lifts her head from the table startled, and then jerks her head to the hall. Standing up and moving quietly through the house, she gets to the room where Kira is resting, and freezes upon seeing Theo down at her level beside the bed.

He has his phone, recording whatever Japanese shit that she's currently saying. Then he rises and turns, and then freezes himself when he sees Nixie watching him in the doorway.

He pauses, then glances back at Kira, and then exits the room and nods his head down the hall. She doesn't trust him. Not at all. But she follows him a little ways, and then says, "What are you doing?" He stops and turns to her, and then says, "Look, Scott told me… well, he told me about…" Nixie glares and Theo's eyes widen. Her eyes are obviously glowing now.

"Scott told you about Kira speaking Japanese in her sleep?" Theo nods and says, "And I guess he told you too, and you're not too happy he shared it with me." Nixie snarls slightly at him, but then closes her eyes and takes a breath. Looking at him again, she says, "And that somehow gives you the right to sneak into where she's sleeping and record her." "I'm going to translate it for Scott. Or… I'm going to try to at least. I have to see if I can find a site to do it with first."

Nixie stares at him, and he sighs and asks, "Why do you distrust me? I mean, I understand Stiles a little bit. He knew me way back in fourth grade, and now he thinks I'm this whole new person. And I guess I kind of am. I'm a werewolf now. But you? I don't get you? I don't even know what you are?"

Nixie snarls, and then says, "And I'm not going to tell you. Just be satisfied in knowing this one simple fact." Theo stares at her, and she says heatedly, "If you hurt any of my friends. If you hurt anyone that I care about, there will be no end to the pain I put you in." Theo tilts his head and asks, "Kind of violent for one of Scott's pack, isn't it?" "I'm protective. If Scott's not okay with that, he shouldn't have chosen me as pack."

She can feel her eyes glow again, so she steps back from him and says, "Just remember that Theo Raeken." He nods, and she turns and walks back to the kitchen table and settles next to Stiles again.

Something inside of her cracked again when Theo mentioned Scott telling him about Kira's… well, condition. Now she knows that Scott trusts Theo. Even if he is trying to seem cautious, he trusts Theo.

Which means Nixie can't trust Scott, and will now have to censor everything she says to him as well. She glances over at Stiles, wondering if she should tell him that too. But she knows she can't. Stiles has enough on his plate, and now he can't trust Malia either. Scott is his best friend. It would be too much right now to know that Scott was turning to Theo with things that he wasn't even telling Stiles.

No. It seemed that for now at least, she was on her own with that bit of information as well.

Damn it.

* * *

"What if we need some kind of trigger?"

Nixie nods to Scott, but it's Stiles that looks at her worriedly. They agree to watch over each other, and to watch out for chimeras, and to watch out for dread doctors, before they start separating to class. "Starting to see the appeal of a third eye."

Nixie smiles a little at Stiles' comment, and then hangs back when he grabs her elbow to keep her with him. "Hey. Are you okay?" She nods, but when Stiles tilts his head, she shrugs and says, "I think I'm just tired. Falling asleep in the middle of the day yesterday sort of threw me off. I didn't sleep well last night."

Stiles nods, but then catches her arm again and says, "Hey, you know you have me right?" She turns and says, "Of course Stiles." He tilts his head again and moves in front of her. "No. Nix… I mean that…"

He glances all around them, and then whispers gently, "You said that I have you. Always. I have you and you're on my side. I get that, and it means the world to me, as I'm sure you know." Nixie smiles at him, and he adds, "But you have me too. Okay, I'm on your side. There is like, literally never a time when I'm not. I seriously don't remember a time when we haven't been on the same page, even when I was wrong and you knew it."

Nixie shrugs at that, and then reaches forward and hugs him tight. "You're the brother I always wanted. You're family. Not that everyone isn't, but you were the first for me." Stiles hugs her back, and then sighs and says, "Alright. Try to stay awake in class." "Yes sir."

She mock salutes him, and he smiles before she turns and heads into class with Scott and Kira.

And now Lydia is texting Theo. Nixie glares at the phone, but tries to soften her gaze when Lydia turns to her and whispers, "Do you see Sydney?" Nixie nods, noticing that the girl is sort of pulling out her hair.

Lydia and Theo are extremely worried. Or Theo is pretending. Nixie is less so, once she sees the hair. Her sight is improved tenfold, and is improving still, even today. There's no breaks really, or split ends or tears. Her hair just sort of… fell out.

Unusual, absolutely. Chimera worthy? Nixie doesn't think so. Sydney is the most stressed out student she's ever seen. That probably has something to do with it.

Before she can say that though, Theo texts Lydia back, and Nixie can't talk because she has to bite her tongue to keep from snarling. If this keeps up, she's not going to make it until November. She'll have to stop attending school sooner.

Sydney leaves suddenly, and before Nixie can regain control of her voice, Lydia dashes out after her. And that teacher, Mrs. Finch, is no help. "You know it's for the best."

Nixie glares at her hard, but turns away before Mrs. Finch can see her. She's already intimidated the teacher before. She doesn't want to risk a suspension or something for it now.

It's only been a minute, maybe a few seconds more, when Sydney hurries in and looks at her. She's obviously not sure what exactly to say, so she just says, "Um… Lydia needs you. And maybe Scott too?"

Both jump up, and much to her chagrin, Theo does too. They race to the room Sydney points to, and they find Lydia on the floor. Sitting her up against the door, Scott tries to wake her up, but she refuses or can't or… something.

A memory.

Nixie watches her closely, and then leans closer. Resting her head on Lydia's shoulder, she whispers gently, "Lydia? Lydia please wake up. Please?"

She takes a deeper breath, and Nixie leans back and Lydia is opening her eyes. Scott sighs and asks, "Are you okay?" "I'm okay." But her hands are trembling far more than Nixie has ever seen them. Taking her hand in hers, Nixie waits until Lydia can hold hers back, and then Lydia smiles gently and says, "I'm fine."

Nixie smiles down at her, but has to turn her head away and bite her tongue again when Theo speaks and says, "You remembered something." Lydia nods at that, but explains that it wasn't about the dread doctors. It was her grandmother.

Nixie knows the story and hugs her tight until Natalie Martin enters the room. "Lydia? What happened? Are you alright?" "Mom, I'm fine." Nixie nods to Natalie as well, but Natalie still asks, "Was it a blackout? Did you faint?"

Lydia seems confused by her question, but answers, "Yeah." Nixie looks at her too, but squeezes Lydia tighter. She relaxes and rests her head on Nixie's shoulder, and Natalie relaxes as well. Nodding to Natalie, Nixie says, "She's alright Mrs. Martin. Promise."

After class, Nixie hangs behind. She'd rather go with Lydia, but something about that seems wrong now too.

Because she trusts Theo.

And that thing inside of her cracks again.

She should really figure out what the hell it is that keeps starting to break.

"You forgot to sign it."

And besides, Nixie hangs back because it looks like Scott is trying to drop this course. A course that is kind of important for his future as a vet. And even if she can't completely trust him right now, he's still Scott, he's still her alpha.

He's still someone she cares about.

"I don't think you should drop."

And that, is the first smart thing Mrs. Finch has said all year. Well, aside from being smart for the class. It's the first smart thing she's said in the way of encouraging Scott all year. Let's put it that way.

Scott doesn't respond. And as Nixie listens, she hears him start gasping. Mrs. Finch asks what's wrong, and Scott starts really gasping. He can barely get out the words. Dropping her bag and rushing back in, she catches him as he starts to fall and quickly says, "He's having an asthma attack!"

Mrs. Finch hollers for a nurse, and then goes to trying to get Scott awake. "Scott. Scott, I need to know where your inhaler is."

Nixie could try waking him up, like she did with Lydia. This had to be a memory, it has to be. But she didn't have an inhaler, and wouldn't be able to help him breathe again. "Someone's got to have an inhaler. One of you find someone." Mrs. Finch is giving out orders to students in the doorway. Nixie stares at Scott in horror. He doesn't have asthma anymore. He shouldn't have it. He shouldn't need an inhaler.

But he does.

Snapping to stand up, she says, "Keep him breathing." Mrs. Finch looks up at her, but Nixie doesn't pay her any mind. Instead she bolts out of the room at a dead sprint, not caring if someone notices that she's moving three and four times as fast as she should be able too.

She knows where Liam is, and as she sprints toward the field, passing people with legs twice as long as hers, she sees Hayden stare at her from in front of her on the other side of a soccer goal. Her eyes are wide, but Nixie doesn't care.

"LIAM!" Liam, whatever he had been doing, snaps to attention at the panic in her voice. She keeps running, but shouts all the same, "Where's his inhaler?" Liam blinks for all of a second, but then sprints to the locker rooms, Nixie soon catching up on his heels.

"What's wrong with him?" "I don't know! I think his memory or whatever triggered his asthma." "Memory? A memory did this?" "Which is exactly why you weren't allowed to read the book? Where is it?"

Liam grabs it and then they both sprint into the school, Liam following her now and having a hard time keeping up, but both ignoring the people that are now following them at a good distance thanks to their speed.

"I've got it, I've got the inhaler." Nixie skids onto the ground on Scott's other side, while Liam drops down and puts the inhaler in his hand. "Scott." Liam tries to shake him and Nixie feels tears coming down her cheeks. They both glance at the window as rain starts to pour from what was a moment ago, a cloudless sky.

Liam looks at her and asks, "What do we do?" Nixie shrugs, but then blinks and says, "You're his beta. Talk to him." "I already said his name. Do you mean like… about the day or something." "No Liam. _Talk_ to him." Liam leans back a second, but then gets closer to Scott. He glows his eyes and growls lowly, "Scott."

It snaps him to awareness, and he takes a breath from the inhaler. As soon as Nixie hears his heart rate start to go down, she sighs in relief and the rain outside begins to dissipate. Scott glances at the window after a moment, and then at Nixie. Smiling gently, if a bit tired and wearily, he puts a hand on her shoulder and says, "Hey."

She looks up at him, and then says, "It's going to take more than a little asthma to get to me." She nods in relief, and then she and Liam help him up off the floor.

Nixie is so relieved by him being okay, for a little while, she forgets about the crack that happened when she realized he trusts Theo. She lets go of all her worries for a moment and basks in the moment of this one good thing. Scott is okay. Scott is alive. Scott might need his inhaler again, for whatever reason, but he was okay.

But that all came crashing down again when she heard him in the locker room afterwards. She'd intended to wait for him, intent on seeing him home safely. That's when she hears Theo ask, "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah." Nixie knows her eyes are glowing, but no one is around to see it, so she lets them glow. The two pressure points at her back, the points she hadn't felt since earlier in the year, come back and are pressing where her shoulder blades are again. And again, it's not painful. There's a slight discomfort in the pressure, but she thinks that's only because it's new.

She ignores that though, and focuses on the conversation that Theo and Scott are having. Scott asks, "Did you want to talk about something?" "No. It can wait." Nixie agrees with that wholeheartedly, but Scott says, "No, no, it's okay. What's up?"

He says it kindly and tenderly. Like he would say it to Liam or Stiles or Kira. He says it like he's already made up his mind, and Theo is in the pack.

More cracking inside, and Nixie doesn't understand why. But she ignores it and listens. Theo sighs and says, "Last night, you guys all fell asleep. I went upstairs to check on Kira. She was sleeping, but…" "You heard her speaking Japanese." "I didn't just hear it."

Theo explains to Scott that it roughly means, 'I'm the messenger of death'. Nixie bites her tongue hard enough to make it bleed to keep from snarling.

Then Theo asks if it gets worse, and Nixie actually falls down from the pain that suddenly enters her chest when Scott answers him. He tells Theo about the fox aura around Kira, and how it's taking over.

Nixie can hear the rain beginning to fall again outside as tears leak down her cheeks.

And a bolt of lightning cracks across the sky when Scott says, "I don't know if I can trust her anymore."

Nixie stares without really seeing as she leaves the doorway to the locker room. She heads out to her bike, climbs on, at the moment unconcerned about Scott and if he gets home safe. The inclination is there, but so is the bitter thought that Theo will probably help to make sure he gets home safe.

She's nearly home when her phone goes off. Pulling over and answering, she asks, "Yeah Malia?" "Something's happening at the hospital. Stiles and Lydia are there!" "Ten minutes." "You'll be there before us. And Scott wants to know if you know why it's raining." "Nothing to do with me, if that's what he means."

She hangs up and punches the gas, heading for the hospital as fast as her bike will go. A bike that goes slower than her, she realizes once she gets to the hospital. She should've just run.

When she gets there, she closes her eyes and takes in the scents and the noises, focusing on the only two that matter right now. Lydia is downstairs. She appears to be fine for the moment. Stiles is on the roof.

He's not fine.

Opening her eyes and dashing to the elevators, she bangs on the button until it finally takes her up, and then she runs out into a hall and finds the door for the roof.

"Mom."

Nixie stops when she hears him say that, hears the sad and broken tone in his voice. His memory. Of course it would involve his mother. Probably during the last year of her life or so.

And then he's screaming, "Mom! What are you… MOM!"

The boy attacking Stiles… Nixie isn't sure exactly what he's supposed to be beyond part werewolf. And she doesn't care. Roaring in her fury, loud enough to shake the entire hospital from the ground up, she charges at him and catches his arm just before he can land a possibly fatal blow to Stiles.

The boy jerks his attention to her, and then lashes out, only to be met by impenetrable skin.

Her scales. They're out and on full display. Everywhere. There isn't an inch of her skin that isn't coated in the brilliant and hard blue. Growling at him again, she throws him to the side and then turns to Stiles and asks, "You alright?" "Fine. Holy shit Nix. When did that happen?" "Just now, as far as I know."

Turning back to the boy, she snarls, but then Theo comes out of nowhere and blocks the boy's path back to them.

Nixie lets him. Maybe if she's lucky, the boy will take Theo out of the equation.

Even as she thinks it, she shakes her head at herself. She doesn't like him. They're not killers though. Sure, she had a moment where she was glad Donovan was dead. But that was justified, at least in her mind. He had been about to kill Stiles. Her happiness at his death was based more on relief at Stiles being alive and fury about Donovan trying to kill him in the first place.

This was based solely on her hate of Theo. Not a good enough reason to want him dead. So even though she's not too fond of the idea, she watches their fight and waits for an opening, should it prove that Theo needs help in subduing the boy.

"Malia run!"

Nixie snaps her head to the side as she hears Melissa yelling for Malia. Turning to Stiles, she says, "I think something's happening inside." "Go!"

Before she can though, Theo's wrist is broken, and Nixie snarls at the boy before them as he spins to look at Stiles again. But Theo is back on his feet, and he breaks the boy's arm.

Then he tears out his throat. Well, tears into his throat. Bottom line, the boy definitely isn't talking anymore, and certainly isn't going to be breathing much longer either.

Stiles stares down at him, and then they both look at Theo when he says, "Stiles, you can't say anything." Nixie snarls and Theo holds up a hand in surrender, but looks to Stiles and begs, "Please don't say anything."

Stiles looks back at Nixie and nods so she knows he's alright, and then asks, "Why not?"

"Because I never said anything about Donovan."

He knew? The bastard knew? He knew the whole time?

Nixie was going to kill him. Morals be damned.

* * *

And this is Chapter 6! Yay! Chapter 7 will follow soon (I hope). Let me know what you think. :)


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 7: Episode 5x7

"I know what happened to Donovan. I know everything."

Well, she was going to kill him if Stiles didn't beat her to it. He lunged forward and shoved Theo until he was back against the fence surrounding the electrical boxes. Shaking his head, Stiles says, "You don't know anything."

And that's when Theo makes the first mistake that grants Nixie enough reason to grab him herself. He spins around and grabs Stiles, throws him against the fence and holds him there, practically off his feet. "I was there! I was at the library!"

He doesn't get to say more. No sooner had Stiles begun to struggle then Theo suddenly found himself no longer holding him against the fence. Instead he was tossed into the air like a rag doll, and slammed against a nearby metal brace of the hospital building. The snarl that reaches him after that sounds like a dinosaur, and when he looks up, Nixie is on him already.

She grabs him, talons scraping his chest as she tears through his shirt, and then he's slammed against the closest wall. It cracks behind him from the force with which she shoves him against him.

Roaring in his face, her eyes glowing brighter than ever, she finds that she's once again seeing the world through a different perspective. Her sight turned back on. The sight that showed her a dark Donovan, and a light Stiles.

The sight that is now showing her what she'd known all along. Theo's entire aura isn't just a shadow of darkness or a mixture of gray and black shadow. It's solid black, and it seems to cling to him like slime. Snarling, she says on a growl, "Touch him again, and it will be the last thing you ever do."

"Nix." She turns to glance back at Stiles, and he says, "I'm alright. You can let him go." She turns back to Theo, and then pulls him back off the wall and shoves him against it again, making sure his head slams against the concrete.

Then she drops him on the ground like a sack of potatoes, and then walks back to Stiles. "Are you hurt?" He shakes his head, but then says to her, "He… he knows." "He doesn't…" "He knew it was at the library." Nixie looks up into his face, and then shakes her head and says, "I'll protect you. I'll back whatever story you want to tell. I'll deny anything you want me to. But don't…" "Nix."

He glances up at the sky, noting the clouds rolling in. "Nix, come on. I still don't trust him. But if he tells Scott about… about…" Sighing, he says, "He's already this close to trusting the guy with everything. I'm not going to give him enough reason to replace me with… with… well, with him."

Nixie stares at him a moment more, but then relaxes her stance. Her scales vanish, her talons shrink, her eyes stop glowing, and her teeth go back to normal. Stiles' aura was still light, but there was a grayish tint to it now. And she's not sure how she knows, but she can tell that it's the sadness, the guilt, and the weight of it all that he's bearing.

He needs her. She somehow keeps the sight on a moment more, and says, "Alright Stiles. Your call." He gives her a small smile, and his aura brightens up a bit, though he doesn't meet her gaze with his own. But at the very least, he does smile again. And for that reason, and that reason alone, she decides that it will be worth it.

They turn back to Theo, who is gathering himself up off the ground. Coughing, he looks up at her again, and then asks, "Seriously. What are you?" Stiles puts an arm around her shoulders and says, "Your worst nightmare. Keep that in mind when you think about threatening me again." "I wasn't…"

But he stops at Nixie's low snarl. Sighing, he says, "Look, Malia found that book and said she left you at the library when she couldn't get a hold of you. I was close, so I said I'd go find you. When I got there…" He nods to Nixie and says, "I saw her break open the doors, and then I heard the scaffolding fall."

Stiles asks, "You saw him?" "Just the body. And I watched you two come out. I was going to say something then, but then I saw the cop car." Sighing, he adds, "And the body was gone."

Nixie's sight cuts off on her after that, but not before she has time she see that the sigh he just gave was fake. His aura, if possible, got even darker, and she somehow knew that it meant he was lying. About what part of his statement, she's not sure, but she didn't need to hear his heartbeat to know he was still lying about something. His aura told her.

Aura? Like Kira's fox spirit maybe? Is that what she's seeing?

She ignores it for now, and focuses on Theo again as he says, "I don't know who took him. I only saw what you saw, and I didn't say anything because you didn't." Nixie snarls, and Theo asks in exasperation, "What? I haven't said anything." "I know."

Glaring at him, she says, "Do me the justice of not pretending that I'm stupid. Do not lie to me." Stiles narrows his eyes at Theo, but he just turns his head to listen to something. Nixie tilts her head too, and then looks to Stiles and says, "Your dad." Stiles nods and Theo says, "We should be out of here."

But Stiles shakes his head and says, "We can't just leave him." "Stiles…" Nixie snarls again and says, "We are not leaving him." Theo holds up his hands and says, "Fine. Let's take him." When they both look at him, he says, "Someone's stealing the bodies anyway right? Here's our chance to find out who."

Stiles and Nixie look at each other, and she shakes her head. It's a bad idea. Well, not a bad idea about catching whose taking the bodies. At least, it wouldn't be if she didn't already know who was taking them. Consequently she both wants Stiles to figure it out for himself, and she also doesn't want anyone to figure it out at all.

Especially Jordan.

Stiles shakes his head too, to Nixie's relief, and Theo says, "Guys, come on. We gotta do something." Stiles looks at him and says, "You killed him." "In self-defense. He was going to kill you, and me, and Nixie."

Nixie could see, in spite of so much distrust, that Theo's mentioning her name did strike a chord with Stiles, if only a little bit. As tough as she was, and as protective as she was of all of them, it reminded her that they had each, at one point or another, proven that they were just as protective of her. Just in their own ways.

And in that moment, despite the fact that he didn't completely agree with it, she knew that they were taking the body.

Theo sighs and says, "If we stay, we're either going to have to tell the truth, or we're going to need a pretty convincing story. It's your choice. I'm not gonna ask you to lie to your dad." Stiles gives him a look, and then says sadly, "Don't worry. I've had plenty of practice."

* * *

At the clinic later, Nixie stays behind Stiles while they show Scott the body. Not because she's ashamed or because of anything she's done. She just can't bear to meet his eyes.

He trusts Theo. She thought it was Malia who trusted him most, but it's Scott. Scott trusts him with the fact that he doesn't think he can trust Kira anymore.

Something he didn't tell her. But why should he? She was only a member of the pack; someone else who cared for Kira as deeply as he did. She was the dragon. Her ability to care about everyone close to her on a deep level is why she was a blue dragon. And she understands not wanting to reveal this particular fact to anyone else. She really does. And she almost feels selfish for what she's currently feeling about the situation.

But if Scott were going to trust anyone with the fact that Kira might not be able to be trusted, it should've been her.

Nixie jumps to attention when Theo offers to guard the body. She touches Stiles back, and he tilts his head to glance back at her and nods. He already knows what they'll be doing. They'll be watching the body with Theo.

And then Nixie's phone vibrates, and Scott's does too. She does look at him then, and she knows she's being wise in not meeting his gaze much in the future. Because whatever he sees in her eyes right now, it makes him lean back in surprise... or maybe even fear.

She quickly glances down at her phone, and Stiles asks, "What is it?" Sighing, she says, "Another Chimera."

* * *

At Scott's house, they find Hayden locked in the bathroom, and while Scott tries to talk to her, Nixie asks, "What happened? I can hear her heart beating a mile a minute." Scott nods in agreement, and Liam says, "She was okay when we got here. I went to text you guys for two seconds and she locked herself in." Stiles asks, "Why?" "I don't know."

Scott asks, "She's definitely a Chimera?" Liam nods and says, "She said she heard a voice saying, 'Your condition improves'."

Stiles and Nixie look at each other and Stiles says, "Okay, that's unsettling." Coming up to the door, he says, "Hayden. This is Stiles. Your sister works for my dad down at the station. Look, just open the door, okay? You can trust us."

Nothing except her fast beating heart is heard on the other side. Scott moves back to the door and says, "We just need to tell you the truth Hayden. And that kind of thing is usually better face to face." Stiles and Nixie look at each other, and then Stiles looks down at his hands. Nixie takes them and squeezes before pressing a kiss against his shoulder.

Scott sighs, trying to figure out what else to say to make her come out. Nixie puts a hand on Liam's shoulder and squeezes gently in encouragement before walking up to the door. Not as gently as the others, but not meanly either, she knocks on it and says, "Hayden? This is Nixie. Remember me? I told you that you had a lot of growing up to do."

A skip in her heartbeat. She might not be too familiar with the others, but Nixie she remembered. Nodding to herself, she says, "Look, I don't want to frighten you. But if you don't open the door yourself, we're going to have to break it open." Another skip of the heart, and she can hear Liam shuffle forward worriedly. Nixie holds a hand up to stop him, and then says, "Look, I get it. This is a lot to take in, and what you just went through, I know that was terrifying. I have yet to even see these guys, but I know they're terrifying. They scare my friend Malia, who I'm pretty sure doesn't really care to be afraid of shit."

This time there is a hiccup of a laugh on the other side of the door, and Nixie smiles to hear it. Knocking again, lighter this time, she says gently, "It's okay if you don't want to talk to any of us, or if you're not ready to believe all this yet. That's okay. But we've got to know that you're okay in there. Particularly for my sake really. I'm a person who believes very much in visual confirmation, so…"

They wait a breath, and then Nixie sighs and leans back so Scott can maybe break the door in. But then it cracks open, and they push it away.

And Hayden's eyes are glowing, her teeth are lengthened, and her claws are out. She's lost control. That's what happened. She looks at all of them, and then says, "I believe you."

Nixie makes a thoughtful noise in the back of her throat, and when Liam looks at her, she says, "Kind of smart of her to lock herself in the room while out of control." Hayden looks at her, seems to bask in the praise for a moment.

Same as Liam does whenever she gives it to him. Liam then looks at her again and asks, "Nix? Can you…" He's worried. Nixie glances to Hayden, then back to Liam, and then smiles. This girl is important to him.

Moving forward, she kisses Liam on the forehead, and then steps into the bathroom. Hayden backs up a step, but Nixie says, "Don't be afraid." "I don't want to hurt you." "I know. I get that. But look." She forces the scales that rest beneath the skin to surface, covering everywhere but her face and neck. Hayden stares in surprise, and then Nixie says, "You can't hurt me if I do this. Alright? Now come here."

She wraps Hayden in a hug, and in a few seconds finds herself squeezed back. Hayden sighs into the embrace, and then asks anyone listening, "What is this?" Stiles gives a soft chuckle and says, "It's the Nixie effect. You'll get used to it if you stick around."

When Hayden gets back in control, Scott pulls Liam aside. Nixie listens from where she's still running her hands up and down Hayden's back. "Try to convince her to not tell her sister anything yet. Tell her we'll do what we can to protect her. Stiles and I will work out a plan. Alright?" "I'll try."

Hayden pulls back, and then asks, "You're… you're like me?" "Not exactly like you. But I don't think any of us are exactly like the others." Hayden tilts her head, and Nixie says, "Yeah, it sounded better in my head. Suffice to say, you're among friends who may not exactly understand everything going on with you, but we're pretty good at eventually figuring these things out."

Scott knocks on the door, and says, "Stiles can take her home, if she's ready." Hayden grips Nixie's wrist, to which she smiles and says, "Just ask sweetheart. I'm not hard to convince." As they exit the room, she says, "You're gonna have a full jeep Stiles. Can she handle it?" Stiles rolls his eyes, but then says seriously, "I hope so."

* * *

Nixie steps inside Jordan's house later in the day and sighs. She can smell Lydia. And even if Lydia leaves immediately to give them alone time, as she sometimes does, Nixie had really just wanted to walk in, find Jordan, and then fall into his arms. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to explain. She just wanted Jordan.

And then she steps inside, and she knows Lydia isn't leaving. And they look intimate again.

Something cracks inside of her again, bigger and more painful this time. She actually winces and reaches to touch her side. Maybe it does have something to do with her heart, but it's not just a pain that rests in her chest. With every crack, more and more of her body seems to ache. And that pain remains constant, somehow always remaining present in her body once it's been initiated by another crack. She should seriously figure out what is wrong with her.

Sighing, she steps inside and asks, "What are you guys doing?" Lydia turns to her and says, "Jordan got the jammers from the station. He's working on trying to broaden their frequency now." Jordan nods and finishes up with the one he was currently working on. Then he rises and heads into the kitchen.

Nixie, for the briefest of moments, feels her eyes light up at Lydia's back. She wants her gone. She wants to be alone with Jordan. She wants to cry and not worry about the fact that if she does it will start to rain. She wants to forget that Theo's evil, and that so many others trust him. She wants to forget that for every one of her friends that does start to trust him, something breaks inside of her. Something is wrong with her. And she's changing more and more with each passing day and week.

Closing her eyes, she composes herself. She does what she used to do. She shoves it down. She hides what's wrong with her. She focuses on the fact that Hayden needs protecting, that Jordan is her mate, that Lydia is her best friend, and Stiles is her brother.

Stiles. She focuses on him. If it comes down to it, she can tell him about all the rest of the changes she's been going through. He already knows about her full body scale development. He's the one who explained it to Scott when she'd done it so Hayden didn't worry about hurting her.

Relaxing, she opens her eyes to find Jordan watching her from the counter. Smiling at him, she asks, "Is it hard?" He just stares at her, and then puts down the spoon he was using to stir up coffee with. Coffee for her. He took his black and it didn't need stirring. He was making her coffee.

It lightens her heart to see it, and then he touches her arm and she sighs. "Nixie?" Looking up at him, she asks, "Yeah?" "Are you alright?" She nods instantly, but he catches her chin and says, "No, don't do that to me."

She stares at him for a moment, and then leans forward and rests her head on his chest. He wraps his arms around her instantly, bathing her in his warmth. Sighing, she says, "I'm alright Jordan. I just haven't been sleeping very well. I'm tired, but I'll be alright."

He kisses the top of her head, and then he moves his hands to cup her neck and cheeks as he kisses his way down to her temple, down her jaw, and then to the corner of her mouth. She leans forward for more, but first he says, "Are you going to the school tonight?"

She opens her eyes to look up at him, and she knows what he wants. He wants her to stay home. Hell, he'll invite her to stay here if it means she'll stay out of danger and get some sleep.

And she doesn't want to lie to him, not anymore than she already is. So she answers him simply and honestly the only way she can. "No, I'm not going to the school tonight." He looks relieved at that, and then comes in and kisses her soundly on the lips.

Her world brightens, her worries vanish, and for a few moments, she's just Nixie again, and he's Jordan, and he loves her and he's her mate. He's kissing her like there are no worries in the world, and she takes all he gives and then some, reaching up to hold his head in her hands. She keeps him trapped against her, refusing to end the kiss. Not that he offers much protest.

When he finally does pull back, when she finally lets him, she slumps against him, and then sighs and says, "I love you Jordan." "I love you too baby." He hugs her again, and then turns to glance at the jammers and asks, "You wanna see what I'm doing?" "Absolutely."

She can look at Lydia again without wanting to make her leave. Smiling at her friend, she wraps an arm around her in a hug and says, "I'm fine." "I still don't take that seriously." Nixie nods, and then concedes to the one thing that she is willing to admit is wrong. "I am suffering from a severe lack of sleep, but I will be fine. Promise."

Lydia nods, and then they both watch as Jordan works with the jammers.

* * *

"So what happens now?" Stiles has set up his camera and set his watch that's connected to it over his rearview mirror. Nixie is in the backseat, glaring holes through Theo's head. He glances back at her, smiles a little, and then says, "She really doesn't like me." Stiles looks back at her too, and then smiles at her and winks before saying, "Probably shouldn't have tried to throw her favorite up against a fence."

Nixie smiles at him, and then says to Theo, "And as for what happens next? We wait, dumbass." Theo smirks and says, "Yeah. She definitely doesn't like me." Looking to Stiles, he asks, "You want to take shifts watching?"

Stiles shakes his head and says, "No, no. I want to spend some quality time with you." The bastard actually has the mindset to smile and say, "Sounds good to me."

He winces and hisses as soon as Nixie reaches forward. Her hand, talons extended, clamping down on his shoulder and sinking into the flesh. Getting close to his ear, she whispers, "That's why I'm here." She lets go, and when Theo glances back at her, he's not smiling. But for his part, he's at least smart enough to not retaliate.

At the school; Jordan, Lydia and Malia are at the back of his truck, getting out the jammers. Malia twists one in her hands and asks, "We're betting our lives on these?" Lydia looks at her and says, "I think we're betting Hayden's life on them." Jordan looks at them both, and then sighs and says, "Yeah, well, I'm glad I brought my gun."

Lydia nods, and as they walk towards the school, she sighs and says, "I know she's tired and needs rest, but I wish Nixie were here." Malia looks at her and says, "Stiles needs her more."

Jordan and Lydia both stop, and Malia looks back and asks, "What?" Lydia looks at her and says, "Why would you say that? Nixie is catching up on sleep. Much needed sleep." Malia turns to them and says, "Look, the girl needs sleep. There's no doubting that. But do you honestly think, that with all of us here trying to protect Hayden, that she actually wouldn't be here if she didn't have something equally important to do?"

Jordan and Lydia look at each other, and Lydia asks, "So where is she?" "She's with Stiles and Theo, watching over that body in the clinic, trying to see who's going to take it." Lydia rolls her eyes, but does grow slightly less annoyed when Malia says, "Stiles said he'd make sure she got some sleep, if that makes it any better. He set up blankets and a couple pillows in the back of the jeep for her."

Jordan sighs though, and Lydia asks, "What?" "She doesn't like Theo." "We know. She and Stiles both don't like Theo." "No. I mean she really doesn't like him. She doesn't even know why, but she doesn't." Lydia blinks at that, and then asks, "Dragon thing?" "She doesn't know that either."

Looking at her again, he says, "Bottom line though, she doesn't like him, and he's there with her and Stiles. The odds of her actually falling asleep while Theo's there, are about a million to one." Lydia sighs and says, "Well, at this point we just kind of have to hope."

Jordan sighs again though, and then even chuckles before saying, "She lied to me. I mean, she didn't lie to me, but she did. She purposefully omitted mentioning anything about the body or about going with Stiles." Lydia nods, and then puts a hand on his arm and says, "It's kind of what she does. She doesn't want us to worry, and she doesn't want us to stop her from helping either." "She's gonna run herself into the ground, and then what good is she going to do anybody when she can't even stand on her own two feet?"

Lydia gives him a look and says, "I know you're her mate and all, but we still know her better than you do. Don't forget that. She's tougher than that. She knows where her limit is. She won't let it get to the point where she'd be useless to us." "Not on purpose maybe." Lydia tilts her head at him, and he says, "She has a limit Lydia. Maybe she hasn't ever found hers yet or reached it, but she has one. And you guys have been around her so long that you think she knows it. But from what I've seen, she just keeps consistently pushing it, taking on more, almost as though she's trying to find it. And it scares the hell out of me that not only do we not know what it is, but she doesn't either. Because if we don't know it, we can't stop her from getting there. And if she doesn't know it…"

Lydia nods and says, "She can't make sure to stop before she reaches it, or to at least let us know that she's almost there." Jordan nods, and then they both look to Malia, who says, "Guys, we can ponder this inside. We've got to get these things up and running." They follow her, and Lydia says, "Call her later. Talk to her." "If she didn't admit it earlier, why would she admit it now." "Ask her bluntly. She doesn't want to lie to you Jordan. She doesn't want to lie to anyone."

Jordan sighs as he heads off to set up his own jammers in a different part of the school, and then mutters to himself, "That doesn't mean she won't lie if she thinks she has to."

* * *

"You still wondering why I haven't said anything to Scott?"

Nixie remains quiet in the backseat while Stiles and Theo talk. Unlike with the others, Nixie has no worries about Stiles suddenly growing to trust Theo. Stiles doesn't like him. More than that, he knows that Nixie doesn't like him, and he's taking that seriously. Unlike everyone else, who have apparently forgotten that she has a gut feeling about this.

"You think I've got some kind of ulterior motive." Stiles nods and says, "More than likely." "Would you believe me if I said that all I want… all I've ever wanted is for you guys to trust me?" "Nope." Nixie smiles at Stiles simple comment. It sounded like the normal him, which she was getting to hear less and less of lately.

Theo gives him a look and asks, "So you're here because you're never going to trust me?" "Yep. Glad we had this talk." Nixie laughs a little and reaches forward to squeezes Stiles shoulder. He glances back at her and smirks.

But Theo is grinning too, and then he starts talking about his sister. Stiles looks away both in annoyance and a bit awkwardly, considering he's being compared to someone who is a dead relative of the boy sitting next to him.

Finally, Stiles just asks, "Why are you telling me this?" Theo looks at him and says, "I'm tell you because even if you don't trust me." He looks back at Nixie and says, "And even if you don't like me." Back to Stiles, he says, "I'm still going to be looking out for you. The way I should've been looking out for her."

Nixie's sight, the second sight she has, suddenly snaps back into place, and she can see his aura darken at the statement. Lies. But not just about looking out for Stiles. That part might have even had the smallest ring of truth to it, buried under all kinds of deceit. But the part about his sister, about looking out for her? That was twisted, warped, and so far from fact that Nixie suddenly felt like she might throw up.

Jerking upright, she coughs and gags. Stiles turns and asks, "Hey. Nix? You alright?" She nods, but then coughs some more and clambers out of the back of the jeep.

Taking deep breaths and breathing, she focuses on getting her usual sight back. Then Stiles' hand is on her back, rubbing soothingly, and she leans into the touch.

It was comfort. What she usually gave, being given back to her. And it was small, but it meant so much. Sighing, she stands back up, and then says, "Sorry, I don't know what happened." Stiles tilts his head at her, and then says, "Oh no, don't you do that." "Do what?" "Lie to me. Come on, out with it. What's wrong?"

She stares at him, and then glances back at the jeep quickly, where Theo is still sitting. Stiles gets the message and sighs, and then says, "Alright. You good?" "I'm alright." "You wanna get back inside?" "Yeah."

She climbs back in, and then punches Theo in the jaw before settling down. He spits out blood and then turns to look at her in surprise. Glowing her eyes at him, she hisses, "Don't lie to me."

* * *

"I saw his teeth." Stiles looks over at Theo. Nodding, Theo says, "Donovan. He was a, uh… wendigo, wasn't he?" Nixie opens her tired eyes to glare at Theo. He'd shut up for a while, and she'd actually relaxed enough to fall asleep. But as soon as he started speaking, she woke again. Stiles says, "Yeah." "That's the cannibal one, right?"

"Native American." Stiles glances at her in the rearview mirror, obviously just as surprised as Theo that she's awake again. Theo turns in the seat to glance at her, and the warning in her eyes couldn't have been mistaken. Stiles, just to diffuse some of the tension, says, "The myth says that if you ate human flesh, your punishment was to turn into a creature that constantly craved it."

Theo turns back to him and says, "That's a pretty judgmental myth." Shrugging, Stiles says, "Well, I didn't make it up." "What if that was the only way to survive? I mean, you ever hear of the Donner Party? I'm pretty sure they didn't turn into wendigos."

Nixie turns her head to look out the window, but says coldly, "Well, they didn't live in Beacon Hills." Stiles nods in approval, and Theo actually grins as he looks at her again and says, "Good point."

She continues looking out the window, but snaps her head back when he asks, "So what's the punishment for killing a chimera?" Stiles sighs and says, "You spend five hours in the car with Theo Raeken." Nixie nods and says, "Sounds like hell to me." Stiles grins at her in the rearview mirror, and she eases in the seat again.

But then Stiles sighs and says, "I know what my punishment is." Nixie shifts her attention to him again, and she knows the clouds coming towards them are her fault when Stiles says, "I'm gonna lose my best friend. I'm gonna lose Scott."

Stiles glances out the window as rain begins to gently fall. Turning in the seat to look at Nixie, he says, "Hey, don't stress." "You know stress isn't the problem." One tear falls down her cheek, and Stiles reaches out to catch it. Smiling, he says, "I'll still have you." "Always." "I know."

* * *

Sitting in his truck, everything seems quiet to Jordan for the time being.

Then he glances down, and sees the playing card in the floor. He didn't remember bringing any cards in the truck with him. Bending to pick it up, he finds that it's the same card. The queen of diamonds. The one that he'd been flipping back and forth; that kept switching from looking like Lydia's face to Nixie's face.

He turns his head, and finds Lydia sitting in the seat next to him. She just stares. She doesn't say anything this time. And then she glances forward towards the front of the truck.

Jordan turns too, and jumps in surprise to see Nixie in front of him, sitting in his lap.

The only other time she'd sat in his lap in the truck was when he'd stopped on their way out of the desert in Mexico, the first time they'd kissed.

And looking at her now, feeling her hands trail from his wrists, up his arms and biceps, over his shoulders and to his face, he knows that's what she wants now.

He doesn't hesitate. He leans forward, following where her hands guide, and kisses her. It's different though. Nixie was always eager to kiss. It was rarely ever slow. Not that he minded. But she seemed more urgent now than he'd ever felt. Her hands ran through his hair, down his chest and body, and then tugged his shirt up until he lifted his arms so she could remove it.

And then he surprised himself. He ripped the shirt she was wearing open, buttons flying.

That should've been his first sign. Nixie rarely wore shirts that buttoned up. She preferred blouses or just regular shirts and tank tops. Regardless, he kept on kissing her, touching her, until he suddenly felt incredibly hot.

Turning his head away to breathe, he jumps when he sees Lydia next to him. Except now she looks like a major burn victim. Her skin is shiny in places and ashy in others, bulging and singed and burnt.

He's afraid to, but he turns to look at Nixie again.

She's fine though. In fact, the hotter he gets, the colder she seems to become as a response. She grabs him and kisses him again, but he knows it's a dream now. His hand bangs against the window, but eventually he loses himself again in the kiss.

Malia is pacing the hallway, when she hears the engine on the truck start. "Parrish? Where is he going?"

And that's when all hell breaks loose.

* * *

"If Scott really gave up on you for some piece of crap like Donovan, then he wouldn't be a True Alpha, would he?" Nixie glares at him, but sighs sadly when Stiles says, "Or maybe that's the definition of one. Someone who doesn't put up with murder." Theo looks at him and Nixie and then says, "It sounds like you guys need to look up justifiable homicide."

Nixie leans forward and grips his shoulder. He winces instantly, but her talons aren't out yet, so she hasn't actually hurt him yet. That doesn't keep her from squeezing the shit out of his shoulder. Stiles smirks, and then asks, "Did you seriously just say that to the son of a cop." Theo looks at Stiles, then at Nixie, and then says, "Look, a werewolf's eyes are supposed to change color when you take an innocent life."

He glows his at both of them, and then asks, "Do these look blue to you?" Now her talons come out, and Theo shouts in pain. Stiles glances at Nixie, but doesn't say anything when he sees the glow of her eyes. Leaning closer again, she says to him, "They might not be blue, and maybe Josh wasn't altogether innocent."

Theo can hear her growling in her throat. She's right next to his ear. And she says, "But you are far more guilty than that boy ever was. I've seen it. And you are far worse than you appear to be. So go ahead and try to fool the rest of the world. But you will never fool me."

She releases him harshly, and then Theo, after gasping in pain for a moment, comments, "It was self-defense. For all of us." Stiles turns and holds a hand up to Nixie before she can come forward and grab him again. Sitting back and looking at Theo again, Stiles says, "Or maybe you just don't _feel_ all that bad about it. You can't say that one life is objectively less innocent than another one. What if they turn blue because you feel guilty?"

Theo scoffs and says, "So it's up to interpretation?" Stiles nods and says, "Yeah, maybe." Theo ponders that, and then says, "Okay. Then here's my interpretation of what happened with you and Donovan." Nixie snarls lowly enough that only Theo can hear it. He looks at her pointedly and says, "Not guilty."

Stiles looks away from him, and Nixie reaches forward the gently squeeze his shoulder. She hates Theo, more than she ever imagined hating anyone. But she wasn't going to argue with that assessment. Donovan would've killed Stiles if the pipe hadn't run him through. And Stiles hadn't done it on purpose. He'd done it as a distraction to try and get away. Killing Donovan happened as an accident.

Stiles wasn't guilty. At least in her opinion.

"Did you feel bad about it?" Stiles looks to him in exasperation, but Theo continues, "Not now. I mean right then. Right when it happened. What were you thinking the moment you knew he was dead and there was no saving him?"

Nixie squeezed Stiles' shoulder again as he tried to actually ponder an answer to that question. But he turned to look at her instead when she said, "One word." Theo turns to her too, and she says, "Good." She looks back at Stiles, and then leans closer and says, "And if that's how I felt, it's okay if you felt that way too. Remember what I am Stiles? Remember why I get to be what I am?"

Because she was good. Because she was protective. Dragons… practically all dragons, had a purity about them that others didn't possess. That's what Deaton had told her over the summer, when he'd been trying to help her learn more about her nature and what made her a dragon in the first place. Not just her protective nature. That was simply a factor in making a blue dragon, which was still even rarer than just being a dragon itself. But the purity that could reside in a person's heart, the simplicity of the majority of their morals and beliefs. That's how a human became a dragon. Nixie wasn't pure as white or anything. No, she wouldn't even begin to claim that. But she had a set of morals, a set of rules, which worked very simply. And they revolved around the people she cared about. Harm those people, and you were on the hit list. Become her friend, become one of those people, or help her protect the people she cared for, and you were on the good list.

Theo was acting like someone who could be on the good list. But at this moment, she didn't miss his smirk at her answer. It pleased him to know that she felt good about Donovan's death.

They sit in silence for a while, and then Nixie smells it. Something burning. Closing her eyes, she mutters, "Damn it." Stiles looks to Theo, who is sniffing too, and asks, "What?" "A scent. Like smoke."

Nixie nods and says, "Like something burning." Stiles pauses, and then turns to look at her. She realizes too late that she used the wrong tone when saying that. She didn't say it like she'd just discovered it, or like it was a surprise.

She said it like she'd expected that to be the smell that suddenly arrived on the scene.

Before he can question her though, Theo's face gets punched in so hard that blood doesn't just come out of his mouth, but it sprays into Stiles' face. And as Theo's ripped bodily from the vehicle, Nixie's eyes widen as Jordan then picks up the jeep from the back end.

His eyes meet hers, and then he says, "Hold him."

She doesn't hesitate. She grabs Stiles in one hand and then presses against the hood with the other. "Nixie!"

The jeep is flipped, and she lands flat on her back out of the window, her head slamming against the pavement. Her vision gets blurred, but she sees Jordan's figure walking past her and the jeep, into the clinic.

"J… Jordan?" He pauses, and then turns to look at her. "Not Jordan. I've told you." "Please…" "You will be alright dragon. And so will your friend. That I promise you." And then he turns and leaves, offering no other comment. She watches him as long as she can, until the blur finally becomes too much to bear, until her head hurts so much it feels like it'll split, and she succumbs to unconsciousness.

Stiles doesn't wake up until Theo pulls them both out of the wreckage of his jeep. "What? What happened?" Theo looks down and says, "The body. The body's gone." Stiles drops his head back, only to jerk up and then flip over. Cupping Nixie's face in his hands, he says, "Nix. Nixie? Nix, wake up." "I think she hit her head pretty hard. She took the brunt of the force for you."

Stiles looks up at him, and then back down at her. Brushing some hair out of her face, he says, "Help me move her. We can't stay here." And as much as he knows Nixie would hate it, he lets Theo pick her up and carry her as they hurry away from the car.

Theo goes about trying to dowse the fire. Stiles just holds Nixie's head in his lap. A tear falls off his face and lands on her cheek. Sighing shakily, he says, "Come on Nix. You have to wake up. You know I'm hard headed. I could've handled it." He shakes her a little, but she doesn't wake.

Theo looks down at him, and then says, "Hey." Stiles looks up, and he says, "I can hear her heart beating. She's gonna be fine."

Stiles doesn't respond to that at first, and Theo goes back to putting out the fire. He's just got it finished when he hears Stiles say, "He'd better be right Nixie. You have to make it."

He stares down at her face in his lap, and says sadly, "You're all I've got right now. You have to wake up."

* * *

Chapter 7! Yay! Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get more done. At the very least, I hope to post chapter 8. No promises, because as you know, life sometimes just happens. But I'm working on it you guys! Promise.

As always, I hope you're enjoying the story. Let me know what you think. :)


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 8: Episode 5x8

"We should get you two to a hospital. It's been a while and I know I said she'd be fine, but she's still not waking up. And you took in a lot of smoke."

Theo's voice is the first thing she hears as she starts to come to. Nixie rolls her eyes internally, and then waits patiently for the rest of her body to catch up with her mind that is now beginning to function again.

It couldn't have been too long if they were still outside the clinic. There's no heat anymore though. In fact, if anything, she's freezing.

Stiles looks up at Theo and says, "I'm fine. And Nixie… she'll be pissed when she wakes up if we take her there without checking on the others first. Come on. Let's…"

That's when the radio in the jeep, which Theo has set back on its tires, goes off. "Suspect in 1-8-7 is in custody and in route to station. Suspect's name is Yukimara, Kira." Stiles is standing now, having come closer to listen, but Nixie heard it all just fine on the ground.

Her eyes snap open, and she stands up while Theo asks, "What's a 1-8-7?"

"Homicide." Both turn to look at Nixie, and Stiles scrambles towards her and says, "Thank God. Thank God! Oh thank God!" She hugs him back just as fiercely, and then sighs and says, "I'm alright. My head still hurts, but I'm alright." He nods, and then Nixie says, "We need to get there. I don't know what's going on, but if there's a warrant out for Kira, that means there's something else we have to worry about."

Stiles stares for a moment, but then nods and says, "Dad." Nixie nods and says, "Yeah. We may have just lost him as an ally too. Fantastic."

And while she's not going to tell Stiles, or anyone else for that matter, she's now beginning to wonder if she still has Jordan on her side.

Consequently, he is in the shower, washing off decay that he won't even remember, when his phone rings. "Where the hell are you?" He blinks at Clark's voice, and then says, "At home. It's four in the morning." "Stilinski's calling everyone in. There's another body." Jordan pinches the bridge of his nose and says, "You mean another murder."

* * *

Stiles and Theo end up getting called to meet at Scott's house. Something about Corey being able to help find Hayden and Liam, who are missing.

Nixie runs a hand through her hair, and then nods and says, "Go to Scott's house and help Corey remember. Give him a copy of the book or something." Stiles nods and asks, "And you?" "I'm going to see Kira. She needs someone there who trusts her. Someone who knows she didn't do it."

Theo's eyes jump to hers, and she thinks she maybe said too much. But she doesn't give him the satisfaction of meeting his gaze to confirm or deny that she heard his and Scott's conversation. Removing her jacket and tossing it in the jeep, she prepares to walk away when Stiles asks, "What are you doing?" "Get to Scott's Stiles."

Glancing back at him, she offers him a smile, and then says, "I'll get to the station faster if I run."

And away she goes.

* * *

Mr. Yukimara has just finished confessing when Nixie bursts into the station. Noshiko turns to look at her, and then asks, "And where have you been all night?" Then she looks at Nixie's smudged and slightly burnt look, and the blood showing on the back of the side of her neck that Stiles and Theo hadn't seen before. Stiles had been too happy just to see her awake.

Noshiko softens her gaze and asks, "What happened?" "Later." She glances at Noah, and Noshiko nods before turning back as Noah asks, "This is what you're gonna go with? This is your story?"

Nixie, having heard the conversation from outside, glares at him while Noshiko asks, "Are you prepared to tell a different one?" He looks about to comment, maybe tell them both that their crazy. But then Nixie is between them, and Noah sighs as he looks down at her. "Nixie…" "Well Sheriff? Are you prepared with another story, where you accuse a high school student of murder? Are you prepared to try and make that stick Sheriff?"

She can feel the entire station freeze at her statement, and Noah's eyes widen a little as his whole demeanor slumps. She never called him Sheriff. She calls him Noah. It was his name, and she had never seen a reason to call him Sheriff. Sure, that was what he was, but she loved him and wanted to use an unofficial term that showed that. It's why she never called Jordan by his last name unless Noah was there to put that rule in force, in spite of Noah's attempts to make that happen all the time.

But now, she's called him Sheriff. And he can tell from the look in her eyes, that isn't going to change any time soon. She glares at him hard, and then stalks past him and bends down to where Kira is. Holding her hands, she says, "Everything is going to be fine." "You don't know that." "I believe it Kira. Which is even better."

She smiles a little at Nixie, and then turns to her parents, who are escorted in with the Sheriff to the office.

Nixie then stands and turns to Clark. The woman in question jumps at the sudden attention, and then Nixie asks, "Well? I believe you were asked to uncuff her." Clark blinks in surprise, but then does uncuff Kira from the chair.

That's when Scott arrives, and while still not very happy with him, she knows his presence makes Kira feel a little bit better again about this situation. He glances at the office and asks, "They're not really gonna arrest him are they?" Kira shrugs and says, "He has to. My dad basically confessed."

Scott nods, and then turns back to her and asks, "And you don't remember anything?" Nixie narrows her eyes at him as Kira shakes her head and says, "Nothing. It was like sleepwalking. Suddenly, I'm just standing out in the middle of the road." Scott nods, and then sighs and says, "Okay. We'll figure it out."

Kira asks, "What about Liam and Hayden?" Nixie wraps an arm around her shoulders and says, "Scott has everyone meeting at his house to come up with some sort of plan on how to find them. Mason found another chimera, Corey, and we think he might be able to help."

Scott nods, and then says, "I don't wanna leave you, but I… I've got to find them." And Nixie softens her stance, because even if Scott trusts Theo, and even if he's not sure he can trust Kira, he does at least mean that. He didn't want to leave her here with this on her own. But even Nixie knows that she can't stay. With no idea what happened to Hayden or Liam, they need all of their resources that they can manage to have. That includes both her and Scott. And it would include Kira, if Noah weren't detaining her.

Kira just nods and says, "I know." Scott takes her hand in his and says, "I wouldn't leave." Kira smiles at him gently, and then says, "My mom's taking me home anyway. We have to talk to a lawyer. And there's nothing anyone can do right now." Nodding to both of them, she says, "You should go. Both of you."

They both sigh, and then Kira asks, "Scott… you don't think it was me, do you?"

Scott hesitates. Only for a second, but it makes Nixie's eyes glow in response. She quickly shuts them before looking at them again as Scott finally says, "No. No, of course not." Kira nods, but apparently she heard the hesitation too.

Nixie grabs her and pulls her into a fierce hug. And after a few seconds, Kira relaxes into the embrace and sighs.

Noshiko glances at them from within the office, and then tilts her head to listen as Nixie says, "I know this wasn't you Kira. Even if you aren't sure yourself, I know it wasn't you." Kira nods, hugging her tighter still, until Scott says that they need to go. Leaning back, Nixie points to Kira's phone and says, "The minute. The very minute that something happens." Kira smiles and says, "I will call or text you with whatever I find out." "Good."

Outside, Scott offers Nixie an extra helmet, but Nixie crosses her arms. "What?" "What's with the hesitation Scott?" He pauses, and then sighs and says, "She… she can't remember anything. How can we…" "It's Kira, Scott. And whether or not she's whispering Japanese messages that mean she's calling herself the messenger of death, it's still Kira."

He blinks in surprise, and then asks, "You know about that? How…" "I heard you and Theo talking about it." Glaring at him, she says, "You shouldn't trust him." "Nixie, he has done nothing but help us." "He is evil. And of every teenager we've seen so far, he is the worst." "He's the best! He's literally the only one, the only stranger, still on our side. He just wants a pack." "No. He wants something else."

Scott glares at her now, and says, "Until you can prove it, I trust him. Now come on. We're wasting time."

That thing inside her cracks again, and Nixie pulls back from him. Scott's eyes widen at the offended and almost fearful look in her eyes, like his hand offering her the helmet was actually him trying to hit her or something. Shaking her head, Nixie says, "I'll run." "Nixie… you shouldn't. You're exhausted. Just…" "I'm faster running." "Nix…" She jerks back out of his reach, and then says, "Don't touch me. Don't you dare touch me."

And before he can say anything else, she takes off for the house.

* * *

At the house, Stiles turns to her and asks, "Is Kira alright?" "She seems to be. Her dad is taking the blame for something she didn't even do right now." "And dad?" "Your dad is the one detaining him and arresting him."

Stiles sighs and runs hands through his hair. Nixie reaches out for him and says, "Hey. One problem at a time. Hayden and Liam are in far more danger than Kira and her folks. We focus on them first. How's Corey doing?" Malia says, "Mason and Lydia are with him upstairs. They've got him working on reading it right now. He's like us, or like everyone else that the dread doctors have messed with. He doesn't remember anything about them."

Nixie nods, and then she starts pacing while waiting for Corey to either read faster, or for Scott to arrive.

And when Scott arrives, he glances at her briefly, and then starts marching through the house. Stiles turns to him and asks, "Hey. Is Kira okay?" They all watch as he turns a corner without even speaking to them, and Theo asks, "Scott?"

Nixie frowns. She knows that Scott trusts Theo, but that doesn't change the fact that his girlfriend is suspected of murder, and that his beta is missing, and that these dread doctors have somehow been working a number on all of them.

And Scott… well, he looks like a man who's very nearly at the end of his rope.

When she hears him on the stairs, she moves and says to Stiles, "I don't like this. Come on." They all follow Scott up the stairs, and Nixie can hear Corey talking to Mason in the bedroom. "Sorry, I'm only on chapter two. I'm… kind of a slow reader." Mason nods and says, "That's okay Corey."

The strain in his voice clearly says to Nixie that it's not okay, but Mason is doing a good job of keeping Corey calm

Of course, that ends up being pointless, because Scott rushes in and says, "He's right. We don't have time for that anyway." Nixie's eyes burst wide as Scott's claws burst out, and he reaches out for Corey's neck before anyone even realizes what is happening. No choice is given. There's no chance of stopping him.

It's like Peter was with Meredith last year, except that had admittedly been a worse situation to witness, but this… this was still terrible in her opinion. This wasn't Scott. Not her Scott anyway. Not their alpha Scott.

This was a desperate Scott. One who wasn't entirely sure what the right thing to do was anymore. And in spite of everything, and the horror she now felt at watching him sink his claws into Corey's neck… she feels pity for him.

"No! Scott don't!" But Nixie catches Lydia and pulls her back from Scott. It's too late. His claws are in Corey's neck. Pulling them apart now would only kill one or maybe even both of them.

Mason looks at everyone around him and asks, "Um… what do we do now?"

Nixie stares at Scott's still form in exasperation, and then says, "We wait."

* * *

At the sheriff's station, Noah has Melissa in his office. Leaning against a cabinet, he asks, "This is your official statement?" Melissa raises an eyebrow and asks, "Something wrong?" Noah sighs and says, "The part about finding the body in your kitchen works fine. But, then, it gets a little confusing when you describe the body as a monstrous Chimera and then go on about werewolves, banshees, kanimas…"

"You're right." For a moment Noah looks relieved, but he should've known it was too easy. Melissa leans forward and says, "I forgot about the dread doctors."

She takes her form back so she can fix that little error, and Noah looks about to speak to her again, when his door opens. Clark, smiling, says, "Sheriff, I got the report in about the prank call the other night. The one from the school library. I was gonna file it when I saw the names."

She trails off when she notices the heated looks between the Noah and Melissa. Noah turns to her and asks, "Clark, what do you need?" "I… I was… I checked on the key cards for the library. They're for after-hours use…" She looks between Melissa and Noah again. Melissa isn't even looking at her directly, but Clark can feel the heat coming from those eyes. "Uh… should I come back later?"

Noah sighs and asks, "Why are you telling me about library key cards?" Clark nods and says, "The system logged two names right about the time of the 9-1-1 call." "What names?" "Theo Raeken… and your son. Stiles."

Both adults pause at Stiles name. Melissa wonders if Noah will finally learn he has to bend more in the world of supernatural things. Noah is wondering what the hell Stiles was doing at the library so late with Theo Raeken. From what he remembers, Stiles still doesn't like that kid. Holding out his hand, Noah says "Let me see that."

Clark hands it over, and then says, "I mean, obviously Stiles isn't making prank calls to the station." Noah looks up at her and says, "I'll deal with it." Back to Melissa, he states firmly, "No more bending the rules; for anyone."

Melissa just shakes her head sadly, and then stands up and hands her statement back to him, fixed to include dread doctors now. "Maybe you should learn to bend a little, before someone breaks." Noah holds the sheet as she pushes it against his chest, and then asks, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Melissa turns back to him and says, "You think I don't know Nixie was here? You think I haven't already been told how you're no longer just Noah anymore. You're 'Sheriff' now." Noah stares at her hard, but at Melissa's now sad look, he tilts his head in wonder. Melissa shakes hers sadly and says, "You know. We all know. She doesn't get angry easily, not really. The only thing that makes her angry instantly is when the people she cares about are put in danger. Her patience far outweighs her anger; by bounds. So if we're at the point now, where she is so frustrated and upset and angry, that she's not affectionately calling you Noah?"

Shrugging helplessly, Melissa says, "If that doesn't tell you right there that it's time to bend a little, I don't know what is. Because out of all of them, if Nixie is the one who breaks…" Huffing, she says, "Well, then we're kind of screwed."

And she slams the door on her way out, leaving a stunned Noah and a thoroughly confused Clark behind.

* * *

"Don't get too close." Lydia says it to the room in general, but mostly for Mason's sake since this is the first he's seen of this. Nixie is still by her side, coiled like a spring, ready to move the instant Scott is finished. Scott will be on his own. Desperate as he is, he should've known better than to do this to Corey. No; as soon as he's finished, she's going to Corey, and she's going to make sure he's okay.

She makes sure the jacket Stiles is letting her borrow covers the back of her neck, and then lets out a slow breath to calm down when she hears Theo ask, "What's he doing?" Lydia looks at him and says, "Tapping into Corey's memories. It's usually something only alphas do." Nixie glares at Scott briefly, but then shakes her head. She can't afford to be this angry. It never used to be this hard to stay calm. It was something she was good at.

But ever since Theo and the dread doctors and the chimeras showed up. Well, Nixie's been having a harder time controlling it. And it doesn't help that she's still getting closer to eighteen; the moment when her dragon nature will be fully realized. Whatever that means.

Theo moves to be on Scott's other side, and then asks, "Is it as dangerous as it looks?"

His eyes find Nixie, who is watching Corey like a hawk, and who looks ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. It's answer enough to his question, that she is so prepared to jump into action the second this is finished, but he still glances at Stiles when he says, "Probably more."

Mason looks around at them again and asks, "Does anyone know if it's working?" Nixie watches Scott and Corey both wince and cringe at whatever they're seeing, and she says, "Yeah. It's working."

It only lasts a minute or so more, and then Scott breaks away with a gasp. Corey nearly falls face first into the floor, but Nixie is already there, catching him and dragging him upright. Pulling him against her tightly, she whispers, "Hey. You're alright now. I promise." He recognizes her voice and relaxes a little, but still turns when Scott asks, "Is he okay?"

Frowning, Corey asks, "What the hell did you do to me?" "You'll be alright." Corey reaches for the back of his neck and says, "There's blood." "You'll heal." Corey glares at him, but then jumps when Nixie says, "Damn it Scott! Look at him!" Scott turns to her, eyes glowing red. Stiles leans back from him and says, "Scott…"

Rising up from the desk, he shouts, "He'll be fine!" Everyone stares at him in shock, but he pays them no mind. Grabbing a pad and pencil, he says, "Listen, I think it worked. I saw something. There were tunnels. Pipes along the walls. There were these huge blue pipes at the entrance, two on both sides." Stiles comes to look at the paper and says, "Wait a sec, I know this. That's one of the tunnels I used to skateboard in. Remember, dad caught me one time and told me to never go back?"

Lydia looks too and says, "It's a water treatment plant." Scott nods, and for a moment looks relieved. "That's where they are. That's where we'll find Liam and Hayden."

But when he looks back up, he jumps at the sight of silver eyes glaring at him. Nixie realizes her eyes must be glowing and quickly turns away, focusing on Corey who is still in shock and pain. Taking his hand in hers, she says gently, "You'll be alright. I promise." He looks down at her, then at her hands, and then he sighs and asks, "Why are you always so cold?" "Part of who I am."

She doesn't elaborate, but he doesn't care. He sighs in relief as she takes his injury for him. No one else sees that, but when she turns back to the room, Stiles is watching her with renewed interest. Scott comes up to her and says, "Nixie, listen, I…" She spins to glare at him, and then asks, "True alpha? Really?"

He stares at her confused, and takes a step back when she steps towards him. Smiling in a way that everyone knows is not at all humorous, she says, "Because, in my own opinion, a true alpha would've known better. Don't you think Scott? A true alpha would've known what a terrible idea it as to barge into a room, claw into the brand new chimera's neck, and go digging around in his scattered memories, without so much as introducing himself or explaining what was about to happen to him so he didn't later freak out!"

She glares for all of a second more, and then turns to Corey and asks, "You good?" He nods, and then Nixie looks at Stiles and says, "I'm going to find my friends. Who's coming?"

She heads down the hall, and Scott plows past her, shouting back orders of who should stay and who else should come. Stiles puts a hand on her shoulder as he passes her, and then takes off after Scott. "Scott, slow down. Just think for a second, okay? Mason shouldn't be going." Mason surges past him and says, "Liam's my best friend. I'm going."

Stiles throws up his hands in exasperation and says, "Oh, did you suddenly get super wolf powers? I wasn't aware of that development. Were you Nix?" "Nope. Nobody told me. But then, Scott doesn't really confide in the rest of us like he used to."

Stiles turns to her. She obviously knows something he doesn't. But they don't have time to argue about it right now. Scott knows that too, and turns the subject back to who's going. To Stiles, he says, "Well, if you're not going, I could use the help." "No, I'm coming, just as soon as I talk to my dad."

He turns to Nixie and says, "They're moving the body and he wants to make sure that this time no one steals it." Malia tilts her head and asks, "How's he gonna do that?" Stiles shrugs and says, "I don't know. But whoever took the last one was strong enough to flip my jeep."

Looking to Scott, he says, "Thanks for asking how Nixie and I are by the way. Cause you know, I just went unconscious, but probably would've died of internal brain leakage if Nixie hadn't taken most of the fall for me." Scott does look at Nixie in surprise at that, and Nixie turns as Lydia comes to her side and holds her arm gently in her hands. Pulling out of her hands so she can hug Lydia, she says, "I'm fine. I think internal type injuries heal faster with me than the external ones. Can't exactly wear internal bleeding as a mark of pride or anything like that."

Lydia smiles a little at that, and then they look back when Malia says, "We can bring Theo."

Nixie wants to snarl at the idea, but then turns to give him a confused look when he suggests, "Maybe I better stay here. You know, in case the doctors decide to make a house call for Corey." And now Nixie thinks that Theo should definitely join them in looking for Liam and Hayden. Anything he wants to do, she will bet he shouldn't be allowed to do. So staying here definitely shouldn't be an option.

She's about to suggest that he go and help look anyway, when Lydia says, "Scott, Stiles is right. We need to slow down and think." Scott looks at all of them and says in exasperation, "I am thinking… about how Liam and Hayden could already be dead."

"You could've hurt him Scott!" They all know Lydia is talking about Corey. Shaking her head, she adds, "Really hurt him." Nixie turns when she hears Corey shuffle backwards. He still didn't fully understand, but she can see the look on his face. He was already down and bummed, about Lucas and about what was happening to him. Now, with Scott doing something so carelessly that could've so severely hurt him?

He feels worthless.

Leaving Lydia's side and moving in front of him, she takes his hands and says, "Look at me." He does, and she says, "You are fine now. And I would not even think of leaving here, if I thought you weren't." Corey stares at her a moment more, and then reaches forward and hugs her. She hugs him back, and he sighs and says, "I believe you." "Good."

Scott is arguing that they have to find Liam. As Malia moves to follow, Stiles says, "Text me for anything." Malia nods, "I got it." "Anything at all. Okay?"

Nixie doesn't miss Theo's coy look, but upon turning to her, he wipes it away. Coming towards him on her way out the door, she grabs the front of his shirt. For his part, he's smart enough to not argue or fight her. Glaring up at him, she says, "If anything happens, anything at all, to any one of them while I'm gone…" "You'll kill me?"

Her eyes turn silver, but she smiles sweetly at him, wiping the smirk from his face. Leaning closer, she says, "No. But by the time I've even close to halfway done with you… you will wish you were dead? Get it?" He nods after a moment, and she lets him go and says, "Stiles." "Yeah?" Turning, she points to Corey and says, "Give him my number. Corey, you're new, so you don't know the rule, but it's very simple."

He nods that he's listening, and then smiles when she says, "Call or text me the minute something happens. And I mean the minute. It doesn't guarantee my immediate arrival, but it does guarantee that I'm working on it, or I'm on my way. Got it?" "Yeah." "Good."

And she heads out the door to catch up with the others, and to look for Liam and Hayden.

* * *

"Liam!" Malia hollers out for him, and Scott tells Mason that there's too many chemicals to catch a sent. Nixie catches up as Mason says, "This could take a while." She pats his shoulder and says, "That's alright. I'm running on coffee, an Excedrin pill packed with caffeine, and a very stubborn brain that will allow me to do this all day, all night, and if necessary, to do it all over again. We got this."

He smiles at her encouragement, and then follows them into the tunnels of the plant.

* * *

Stiles sighs and says, "You tell me, man. You're the mechanic. If the gas tank didn't rupture and nothing electrical was burned, then how did the fire start?" He leans back and says, "Spontaneously combusted? That's your answer? Are you kidding?"

That's when his dad takes the phone away, and asks, "What are you doing here?" Stiles takes a breath and says, "Dad, you gotta leave the body, okay? Leave it and let whoever wants to take it, just take it. Trust me."

Noah frowns down at his son and says, "I'm doing my job Stiles." "Yeah, you've been real busy." Marching after his dad, he points out, "Arresting people you know are innocent."

Noah glances back at him and says, "Go home. Now."

But Stiles just gets in the elevator with him, giving him the same stubborn look he always does. It's not as intimidating as Nixie's, but it effectively tells Noah that he's fighting a losing battle.

Doesn't stop him from trying by saying, "This is not up for debate." "Well, then, I'm not leaving."

It's as they're heading down in the elevator that Noah remembers and says, "You know, Clark mentioned something about, uh, key cards for the library. Do you all have after-hours access?" Stiles nods in realization of what he's asking and says smoothly, "Yeah. Yeah, we do. I'd show you mine, but I lost it a couple of weeks ago."

And the rest of the ride is in silence, but Stiles does punch in a text to Nixie that says, _"Dad knows my key card was used to get into the library last night. He has to. I told him I lost it."_ It only takes a moment for her to respond back with, _"Then lose it Stiles. Toss it in a dumpster or something. Or if you want, I have a place we can stash it later. It's up to you. But if you're going to lose it, then do it soon."_ _"Ten-four."_

* * *

Nixie stops moving for a moment, and within ten seconds; Scott, Malia, and Mason all reach her. Lifting her hands helplessly, she says, "We're practically going in circles guys. These tunnels basically have no rhyme or reason. We'd have to actually have built them to find anything without our senses to help."

As Scott pants, far more than usual, Mason asks, "You need your inhaler, don't you?" Scott looks up at Mason, but then turns his head and says, "Quiet. I think I hear something." Malia looks above them and says, "It's just the lights. Isn't it?"

But Scott opens his eyes and says, "Come on. This way."

As they walk up the tunnels, Nixie catches up to him. She's still none too happy with him, but his tense demeanor relaxes for a brief moment when she shoves a spare inhaler into his hand. He gives her a small smile of appreciation, and then goes back to leading the way.

* * *

"It's healed. Isn't it?" Lydia nods that it is, and Corey prepares to leave. To his credit, Theo was convincing when he tried to get Corey to stay. Lydia, not so much. Corey had been through enough. She didn't want to actually lie to him again.

Scoffing at them, Corey says, "I'll take my chances." Theo huffs and says, "Then give us a better chance at finding our friends. What else did you see? Come on, Corey. There had to be something else." Corey shrugs and says, "There was the hospital, and they took me out of my room." Lydia nods and asks, "And then where?" "The tunnels. Like I already told you. That's it."

Theo scoffs now and says, "Yeah, nothing after that?" "No." Theo steps closer and says, "Well, there has to be more. Think Corey. Just for one minute. Just think."

Corey frowns at him and makes to leave anyway, but Lydia steps forward and pleads, "For Nixie?" He stops, his hand on the doorknob, and turns to her. "What? She's already…" "Please, just try, for her." Theo steps back as Lydia takes over convincing him. He knew how much they all cared about Nixie, and he knew how fiercely she cared for them. But this was the first time he'd ever seen someone so brand new to the supernatural world, so new to Nixie, being held back and encouraged to try harder because it's what Nixie would want.

Shaking her head, Lydia says, "I know you don't know us very well, and you don't know Nixie that well either. But she cares about you. She told me about you, and the pain you were in, and how helpful you were the night she first met you in the hospital." Nodding when he turns more fully towards her, she continues, "We've lost people before Corey. Good people and friends. And Nixie…"

Lydia takes a breath to steady herself, and then says, "You have no idea, just how much pain something like that causes her. You saw how angry she got for what Scott did to you, and she barely even knows you. Imagine what will happen to her, how her heart will break, if we can't find Liam in time to save him."

Corey stares at her hard for a moment, and then closes his eyes to try and concentrate on his memories. When he opens his eyes, he looks at her and says, "There was a basement." "Where? Like, in a building?" Corey nods and says, "In a house. It was old, covered in dust and… there was a broken stone wall with a large hole in it. Like a bomb went off."

Theo steps up now and says, "Lydia. The werewolf with the talons. The one who attacked Scott. Didn't Parrish say that he smashed through the wall of a basement? Wasn't it something like that?" Looking to him with a slight smile, she says, "No. It was exactly like that."

As they're leaving, Lydia pulls out her phone and calls Nixie. "Hey. Yeah, we think we know another way in, or a place they might be. The house Jordan was in earlier this year, the one you found him in where he was attacked. Corey just remembered it."

Nixie nods on her end, and then says to Scott, "You guys keep searching down here. Lydia's got another lead. I'm going to meet her." Scott nods and says, "Let us know if you find them." "On it."

Turning and heading for the nearest ladder leading up to the street level, she says, "I'm heading to you." "Do you know the address?" "No, I don't remember. But it's that house on Turner's Mill. The big one that no one lives in anymore." "Got it. And Nixie… I know you're faster when you run."

Nixie nods to herself at that, and then smiles when Lydia says, "Please be careful." "I will do my utmost. See you there."

Hanging up, she pushes away a grate and hops up onto the pavement above. Orienting herself and figuring out where she is, she feels the pressure behind her shoulder blades again. Sighing, she says, "I'm not even angry right now, and I'm not shifting, so what the hell?" She's not sure, but she rights herself and ignores it, and then takes off at a sprint in the direction of the house.

She only hopes Corey's hunch is a good one, and that she finds Liam and Hayden unharmed. She's not sure what she's going to do if it turns out any other way.

* * *

"Downstairs, check in." Noah nods in approval when the response is, "Nothing yet, Sheriff." Of course, it kind of reminds him how Nixie is now calling him sheriff instead of Noah.

He'll have to worry about that later. They can't always bend the rules this way and that… just because they don't want the general public to know what's going on around them.

Removing his jacket and sighing, he says, "Clark, you want to check and see if something's going on with the air conditioning down here? I'm pretty sure a morgue is supposed to be a lot cooler than this."

That's when the fire sprinklers literally shoot out of the ceiling, and what's supposed to be refreshing water to dowse flames, is instead a foggy substance that clouds the entire hall.

Making it possible for Jordan to begin taking out officer after officer without being seen by anyone. Noah hears several screams, including Clark's, who had been right behind him. Turning with his gun drawn, he shouts, "Clark! Parrish! Clark!"

* * *

When Nixie bursts into the room upstairs, she listens and hears Liam downstairs say, "They're coming back." They're here. Corey was right.

Smiling in relief, she dashes down the stairs and through the hole in the wall to get to them. "Liam! Hayden!" Liam's fierce expression relaxes to one of utter relief in a split second.

And in another one, it turns to panic and he shouts, "Nixie! Don't!" But she's already grabbed the gate, and a thousand or so vaults of electricity shoot through her system and knock her back a few feet and on the ground.

Groaning as she opens her eyes again, she turns to see Liam next to the gate, as close as he can get. Breathing a sigh of relief, he asks, "You alright?" "I'm fine. Pissed, if anything." Liam gives a laugh at that, and then turns to Hayden and says, "Yeah. She's fine." Smiling at Hayden, Nixie says to the incredulous look on her face, "You'll get used to me. He already has."

Looking at the gate again, feeling the humming electricity pouring off of it, she prepares herself to try again. Liam looks at her and asks, "Can you get help?" Nixie gives him a look and asks, "And what the hell do I look like? Chopped liver?" Stepping closer, she raises an eyebrow at Liam when he says, "Don't! You'll get hurt!" "I got hurt before because I rushed. I was pretty damn glad to hear you from upstairs and then to see you two still living."

Looking at the gate again, up and down and all around, she says, "Now I'm paying attention. Now I know what I'm dealing with." Liam shuffles back and smiles in amazement when Nixie flicks her wrists and her scales immediately erupt over her whole body. Smiling back at him, she says, "Now I'm going to get you out."

But even with scales, the power of the electricity was something else. Grabbing onto the fence and clinging to make sure it didn't knock her back again, her eyes glow and her teeth lengthen as she pulls the gate apart. Roaring as the electrical shocks skim over her scales, giving them a scuffed look on the surface, she finally feels something give, and the gates burst apart.

Collapsing on the ground, she turns to see Theo and Lydia standing in the hole in the wall behind her. Lydia's mouth is agape for a moment, but then she hurries forward. But Nixie stops her and says, "Don't. I don't know if you should touch me yet." Sighing on her hands and knees, she looks up at Liam and Hayden, and then says, "Well, don't just stand there. I opened the doors. Now get the hell out of there."

They move into action at her command, and Nixie sighs before rising to her feet and turning. Theo is still standing there, waiting for her. Nodding to her, he says, "I just figured you should know. Corey wasn't really interested in helping us. You know, with what Scott did to him and all." Nixie narrows her eyes at him, and he holds his hands up in surrender and says, "I just… I wanted to tell you that you made an impression. Apparently Lydia expected you to, because when she asked him to please do it for you, he tried again. That's how we knew to come and find this place. That's why he finally remembered it."

He shrugs and gestures to her and says, "They're alive because of you."

Nixie… feels a slight bit of pride at his praise. He seemed genuinely impressed that her influence could do that, could convince Corey to think harder and to try harder when no one else could make him. And Theo was crediting Liam and Hayden still being alive to her influence over Corey because of how much she already cared for him. It felt good, for it to be noticed. It really did.

And then Nixie snarls and marches up to him. He backs into the wall and says, "Whoa! Easy! I didn't do anything, I just wanted you to…" "You want me to like you, and you want me to trust you. You want in the pack, and you want to be a part of this little gang of ours."

Pinning him to the wall, she says, "I give you credit where it's due. You are a hell of an actor. And I admit, for a brief, very brief moment right there, I actually appreciated all that nice shit you just said."

Dropping him to the floor, she growls and says, "But I still see you Theo. I see you for what you really are. And no amount of well-placed compliments is going to change that. You are wicked. You are evil. And I am never going to trust you."

And with that, she walks away, leaving him to scramble up from the floor and eventually follow her out of the building where Liam and Hayden are waiting.

* * *

"Sheriff." Noah turns around to see Jordan behind him, and he asks, "Parrish. What the hell is going on?" "I think I saw the suspect."

Noah narrows his eyes at him, because… well, it doesn't sound like Jordan. He's monotone, and his eyes are staring dead ahead, almost like he wasn't really even seeing the sheriff; like he was looking through him.

Stiles, from up the hall, shouts, "Dad? Dad!" Noah glances that way, and then back at Jordan, who says, "Go get your son Sheriff." Yeah. It's a little strange.

"Dad!" Noah turns to Stiles as he dashes around the corner. Sighing in relief when he sees his dad still standing, he comes up to him and says, "Dad, the body."

Noah enters the morgue, gun drawn, but then drops it when not only does he find the room empty, but the drawer is open and the body is gone.

* * *

Nixie is in the backseat with Liam and Hayden. Lydia and Theo are in the front. Hayden keeps cringing, and Nixie doesn't blame her. The wound looks bad, and it's not healing.

"That means I'm a failure, doesn't it?" After a moment of silence, Nixie puts a hand on her shoulder and says, "Considering we expect the success to have at least three heads, four tongues, and possibly six eyeballs, I'd consider that kind of a wonderful thing right now."

Hayden does smile a bit at that, and then turns back to Liam, who is watching her and trying to figure out what to do.

With nothing else really coming to mind, he kisses her. And Nixie smiles when her pain becomes his, the black lines traveling down his neck. Hayden gasps, and then says, "It's gone. The pain's gone. How did you do that?" Liam shrugs and says, "I… I don't know." Nixie leans back in her seat in relief, and then says, "Never overthink it Liam. Most of the shit we can do is really very easy, so long as we don't convince ourselves otherwise."

He nods to her, and then smiles when she conveniently shuts her eyes. And he goes back to kissing Hayden.

Back at Scott's house, Liam and Hayden are asleep, and Nixie is exhausted. That doesn't stop her from glaring when Theo grabs Scott up in a hug, and then everyone else hugs him in turn. As if he'd actually even done anything that was greatly important.

But that was why his compliment earlier had briefly felt good. They were all used to the idea that Nixie would throw herself in front of a bullet for them; quite literally. And it's not like she expected praise for every single time she did something like that. But a hug, a 'good job', something more than them looking at her like she had once again, done something unexpected and completely insane. It would be nice.

She didn't stay to hear anymore, or to see if Theo said anything about her involvement again. She didn't save them in order to get praise, she reminded herself.

 _That's not what you want though. You just want to be held, and for them to appreciate that you did all of that, and are still alive. You want to see in their eyes that they understand what they all mean to you, and that you mean that to them in return._

Glaring at her bike, she says to herself, "I am not alone. I have no doubt in that." _But you are, aren't you._ "I have Stiles." The voice in her head shuts up at that. She had Stiles.

But… in a sad twist, she realizes that Stiles' isn't the name she's supposed to be able to say, isn't the one she's supposed to think of when she needs to remind herself that she's not alone. That's supposed to be her mate. That's supposed to be Jordan.

Dear God, what the hell was wrong with her?

* * *

"I don't want you to leave." Nixie looks to Scott, who is standing in Kira's doorway. Nixie is sitting on Kira's bed while she packs. It's a forgone conclusion now that Kira is just going to have to leave in a rainstorm. Nixie can't help it. She doesn't want Kira to go either, even if she's given up arguing. Noshiko explained to her that they were going to find a place and the right people to try and fix what was wrong with Kira's fox spirit.

Noshiko also explained that Nixie still had a room here, even if they weren't going to be here for the most part. Even though she knew Nixie wasn't in the least bit concerned about that, Noshiko had hugged her and said, "You are more precious than you know, and it breaks my heart to leave you. As if you were my own daughter."

Nixie hugged her back as tightly as she could, and then conceded that they were doing what they and Kira thought was best. She didn't like it. She didn't want it. But Kira couldn't stand the thought of hurting anyone else, even if it wasn't her fault technically.

Nixie decides that if she can't kill Theo, the dread doctors will do just fine.

Kira looks to Scott and says, "And I don't want to hurt anyone. Especially you." She looks at Nixie and says, "Or you." Nixie smiles a little, but if anything, the rain outside just begins to pour harder. Scott steps closer and says, "You're not going to hurt anyone." "Scott, look at me. Look at me with your other eyes, and tell me what you see."

They both do, and the fox spirit is huge and fiery, intimidating and dominating.

If they don't do something, if Kira can't find balance again… Nixie is frightened to think of what might happen to her. So they let her go, Nixie and Scott left standing in the pouring rain as she drives off. Scott then turns to her, and asks, "Are you going to be okay? You don't have to stay here alone if you don't want to." Nixie shakes her head and says, "I'm fine." Looking up at him, she sighs and says, "Go home Scott. It's not going to stop raining anytime soon, at least not until I fall asleep."

He nods, and then reaches out for her. She shakes her head though, and he asks, "Why Nixie?" "You trust him." Holding up her hand when he starts to speak, she says, "I… I don't really care to explain it to you further than that. I know he's not good. I can see it. And I am pack."

Shaking her head again, she says, "You should take that into account Scott. The dragon, in your pack, can barely contain her growls and snarls every time she hears him speak. The dragon in your pack, can't stand the sight of him, and would just as soon threaten his life over and over again, than have him assist her in any way with helping to save our friends."

Shrugging, she says, "But what does it matter? You trust him, and you're the alpha. I guess that's all that really matters, isn't it?" Turning to go inside, she glances back at him and says, "I'm still on your side Scott. I'm on everyone's side that matters to me. But do not try to touch me again. Not while you're willing to listen to him. Not while you're willing to share your secrets, everyone's secrets, with him rather than someone in your own pack first. Don't. Don't you dare."

She goes inside, and waits for him to be gone. Then she packs up everything in her room into two large suitcases and her school bag, saddles it all on her bike, and takes off down the road.

She ends up at the one floor house deep in the woods; the one that she had lived in when she couldn't afford a home. Taking everything inside and starting a fire, she brings out the paint that she'd bought from the store on the way here.

She covers the walls in black, painting over all of the things she'd listed out the previous year, when she had been trying to figure out the deadpool and how to stop it. Her own board of clues, like Stiles had. Except hers was on the walls of the house, rather than an actual board.

Laying down on a blanket and using another one as a pillow, she stares up at a blank ceiling and sighs. "I have to figure out what's wrong with me. I can't keep cracking and breaking. I can't keep losing control. And I can't keep being angry as often as I am. I can do this. I can beat this. I just need to figure out what else is wrong with me."

On top of the fact that her birthday is approaching fast. Yeah, should be easy. No problem.

Oh, who is she kidding? She's fucked.

* * *

"It's him." Stiles hands Lydia Parrish's slightly burnt nametag, and says, "He's the one taking the bodies." Lydia exhales in realization and says, "Then I think I know where he's taking them." "Where?"

Back to Stiles, she says, "The Nemeton. He told Nixie and I about this dream of his one time, where he was carrying a dead body that he couldn't recognize through the woods. That he placed it on the rings of the Nemeton, and… then he said the dream ended."

Stiles nods, and then sighs and says, "And uh… there's more." Lydia looks at him and asks, "What?" "I think… I think Nixie knew. I think she knew before all of this, that Jordan was the one taking the bodies." Lydia shakes her head and says, "How would she have found out?" "Maybe Jordan woke up one night while she was still with him and took off." But Lydia shakes her head and says, "She only stays at his house on the weekend, and none of the bodies were taken on a Friday night or a Saturday night yet. She wouldn't have found out that way."

Lydia pauses, and then closes her eyes and says, "The hospital." "What?" Turning to Stiles, she asks, "Are you sure she knew?" He shrugs, and then says, "One way to find out."

* * *

Nixie answers the phone when she sees that it's Stiles. Putting down her white marker, she asks, "What's up Stiles?" "Did you know?" "Know what?" Stiles and Lydia look at each other, and Stiles asks, "Did you know that Parrish was the one taking the bodies?"

A lengthy pause, one that might as well serve as the answer. Then Nixie says, "Yes." Stiles drops his head to the table and says, "I knew it. I knew that you knew." "Congratulations Stiles." Lifting his head, he says, "Nixie, this is not the time for sarcasm." "It's always time for sarcasm. Look, what do you want me to say?" "Um, how about explaining why you didn't tell anyone?"

"What do you think of Jordan now Stiles?" Stiles pauses, and then says, "Honestly." "No, lie to me." He rolls his eyes, and then says, "We need to watch him. And no one should be with him by themselves." Nixie smiles sadly at her wall and says, "And that's why I didn't tell anyone Stiles. You're afraid of him now. You think he's dangerous."

Sighing, she says, "I might not know whatever the hell else he is. But I know that he's still Jordan. He's still the man I love. And he's not dangerous." "He flipped my jeep Nixie. With us still inside it." "And told me to grab you. He knew we'd both be fine. He promised me that."

More silence, and then Lydia comes on and says, "We're going to get him to take us to the woods at some point. That would be easier to do with you present. We think he could guide us to the Nemeton." Stiles makes a stammering noise on the other end of the phone, and Lydia says, "That's my plan anyway. Stiles doesn't want to bring Jordan into it yet." Nixie nods, and then says, "I don't suppose I actually have much choice in going when you do finally bring him in, do I?" "No. You're going. And apart from everything else, eventually this will turn into a nice and pleasant evening for the two of you, whenever we end up doing it."

Nixie smiles and says, "Always thinking up these little rendezvous for me. What would I do without you?" "Starve from a lack of social and love life." "Of course. I'll meet you guys tomorrow."

It's ten minutes later when Stiles calls her back, and he's alone this time. "All other things aside, you have me Nixie. You could've told me." "And what would you have done with it Stiles? If I'd told you, you wouldn't have been able to keep it to yourself. You would've had to tell one of them." Sighing, she says, "If I'm honest… I probably should've told someone earlier, but I didn't want anyone to be afraid of him. It's not like he's actually hurt anyone, aside from me and that was because I took the fall for you. He's just… he's moving the bodies."

"Nixie, what is he like in that state?" She pauses, and then sighs and says, "I don't really know. Not himself. That's the best I can come up with. I know for a fact he has no memory of what he's doing." Stiles nods to himself, and then sighs and says, "Get some sleep Nix. I'll see you tomorrow." "Alright."

As soon as she's hung up, she turns back to her wall.

In one column, she lists her changes. Her eyes glowing more frequently, her scales covering her whole body, the pressure behind her shoulder blades, the second sight, the ability to take someone's injury and make it her own, the enhanced speed, and the gut feeling that sometimes guides her directly to where someone she loves is in danger.

Why that particular one hadn't worked when Liam and Hayden were missing, she doesn't know, but for now she chalks it up to her lack of control until she turns eighteen.

In another column, she has listed her friends, and how each one made something crack inside her. Malia, for trusting Theo. Scott for trusting Theo, for telling him about Kira, and for thinking he couldn't trust her. Stiles; he didn't have anything beside his name. She still had him. Completely.

Liam, she was pretty sure he didn't mind Theo. They seemed friendly at the house after they were freed from the dread doctors. Kira, she trusted Theo. Not as much as the others, but she still did. Noah, he was being an ass. That's how she was summing it up anyway.

Lydia, trusting Theo. And Nixie hesitates a moment, but then puts down as well, _'Close to Jordan. I keep thinking they look too close together, too intimate. Not sure why. Lydia wouldn't try to steal him._ And for Jordan, she writes the same thing, only referencing Lydia.

In another column, she lists Theo, and the black aura she saw around him. She lists her reactions to him, and how she seems to not be able to control the rage and anger she feels towards him.

In another column, she puts down the secrets she is currently keeping. Stiles' killing Donovan, accidentally of course. Kira's message in Japanese. Her ever changing body and how stressed it's making her. Her thoughts on that idea that Lydia and Jordan are growing closer together.

On that particular note, she makes side notes. She notes that it's a stupid idea, but it's there. She also notes that she probably thinks that because, while she is bound to Jordan because of the mate thing, Jordan isn't necessarily bound to her.

She lists the fact that she took injuries from Stiles, from Corey twice, and from Lydia after Tracy sliced her. That was another thing to add to her talents. She wasn't affected by kanima venom.

She writes down that she hid the fact that Jordan was taking the bodies. Not just from everyone else, but from Jordan too.

When she can't think of anymore at the moment, she makes another column, and writes down her problems. She notes that every time someone seems to trust Theo, something inside of her feels like it's breaking, and with each break, the pain from it spreads further through her body.

She notes that she can't sleep more than maybe a few hours a night lately. She notes that where Theo is concerned, she can't control her anger and rage, which she considers a problem.

She notes that she feels like half of the people that she's supposed to be able to trust with everything in the world, she doesn't feel like she can trust them with anything crucial, for fear of it getting to Theo. She notes her eyes glowing at random sometimes, and how she hates not controlling that.

She notes the way anger bubbles up inside of her when she sees Lydia and Jordan in what she feels is an intimate position. She also notes on that one that it's stupid, again, but she's writing it down anyway. She notes that she feels angry constantly, which is terrible considering she's always had the most patience out of everyone in the group.

She notes that reading the dread doctors book didn't give her a repressed memory, which she's not sure whether it is a terrible thing or a good thing. She notes that the dread doctors are trying to create something terrible and she needs to figure out what that is.

She notes that her body aches, her head hurts, and she is constantly having to push it all down for later, because she needs to focus on saving her friends; friends she's not even sure she can trust anymore. And finally, she notes that she's terrified. She's terrified of what's happening to her friends and family around her. She terrified of how angry and upset she is with every single member of her pack, except for Stiles.

On another wall, she writes down a question to start with.

"What the hell is wrong with me?"

* * *

Chapter 8! And hopefully later tonight, I'll work more on getting the last two chapters posted. (Again... hopefully.) :)


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 9: 5x9

Nixie knows Scott still trusts Theo. It's in the way he looks at his inhaler, and then looks at Theo, like Theo somehow understands something that no one else does.

She also adds to the lists of secrets she's keeping. She had already noted to not telling anyone herself about Jordan taking the bodies. Now she made a note that it was all of them still not having told Jordan or Noah anything. And she also has to add the fact that she's not staying in the Yukimara home anymore right now. She's back at her cabin.

She's not sure why. It feels safe. Safer than trying to figure out what's wrong with her in the middle of a house where someone might try to stop by for a visit at some point. But no one is going to walk into that cabin and see all of her handiwork. Not by accident anyway.

She also made a note that Stiles doesn't think Jordan himself is dangerous. Just his alter ego, and only if you get in it's way. So long as you're not in the way, he thinks you're fine.

Sighing as she walks towards the school, she pauses behind the back of a bus when she hears Liam and Hayden talking. "I'll see you second period for history, okay? Then lunch." Hayden smiles and says, "I have math after that." "So I'll find you at the bell."

"They only come out after dark though, right? You don't have to check on me every period." "I want to." Nixie smiles quietly at Liam's insistence, and Hayden doesn't offer much protest and just says, "Okay."

They kiss, and Nixie considers leaving, when she hears Liam say, "You're going to be okay." They kiss again, and then Nixie smells the worry and slight panic enter the air. Turning the corner to look at them, she sees the gray substance coming from Hayden's nose. Looking to Liam, Hayden says, "Don't tell anyone. You can't tell anyone."

Then they both look over and freeze when they see Nixie standing there. She stares back for all of a moment, and then sighs and steps over to them.

Pulling a cloth out of her bag, she hands it to Hayden and says, "Clean up. You too Liam." They do as she says while she glances back to see if Scott or anyone else is watching.

Add the fact that Hayden is a failure, and most likely dying, to the list of secrets she's keeping. Looking back at them, she says to Liam, "Watch her. Got it?" Liam nods, and then she kisses his forehead. Turning to Hayden, she wraps her in a hug, and says gently, "You are tougher than they think you are." Hayden nods, and then hugs her tighter when Nixie says, "Prove it. Hang in there. Understand me?" "Yes." "Good. Now get to class."

Sighing, she looks heavenward, and then mutters to herself, "I'm going to die aren't I? At the age of eighteen. That's what's going to happen. I'm just going to explode." Looking to the ground, she takes a breath, and then heads into school, as though she didn't just witness the evidence that one of the only two chimeras they know of that are left is likely dying.

And that means Corey is probably on the same page.

Just another secret she's going to keep to herself for now. She won't let Scott try to use either one of them as bait again.

* * *

"Hang on. If the Nemeton's covered in bodies, shouldn't you be able to find them?" Lydia looks over at Stiles and asks, "Me?" "Yes, you. That's what you do. You're the banshee. You find the bodies." Nixie, leaning against a nearby tree, chuckles at Stiles. Lydia rolls her eyes and says, "Well, the banshee's having an off day, so how about we talk to Jordan?"

Stiles shakes his head and says, "We can't." "Why not?" "Because one of the bodies… one of them… one of them could be a clue." Lydia gives him a look, and then says, "I'm leaving now Stiles. I'm going to talk to Jordan and tell him he's the one taking the bodies." Stiles sighs and turns to Nixie for help. She looks to Lydia, and then nods before putting a comforting arm around Stiles. Lydia, happy that Nixie is with her, turns to head back out of the woods. Pulling Stiles closer, Nixie says, "Donovan's body being there has no bearing on you having dropped the scaffolding on him. It'll be fine. If I have too, I'll cook up a story."

Stiles looks at her, and then sighs and says, "I don't want you to have to lie." "Yeah, but you know us. We've had practice." He grins a little at her, and then they join Lydia, who says, "It's always better when they know Stiles. Always." He looks at both of them, and then sighs and says, "Well then, he should know he owes me a jeep."

* * *

In the locker rooms, Liam is packing a bag with all kinds of snacks and drinks. He has to keep Hayden safe.

That's when Scott asks what he's up to. "Just remember, it's a full moon tomorrow. And you're probably already starting to feel it." "I know." "It's a supermoon. Which means it's gonna be closer to the earth…" "Yeah I… I know what it means."

Scott watches him, and then says, "Okay. Well, just remember, that I'm here for you." Liam slams his locker door shut and asks, "You going to chain me to a tree again?" Scott blinks and says, "All I meant was, it might be a good idea if we stick together. So we can protect each other." Liam scoffs and says, "You mean like how you protected Hayden the last time. How instead of actually focusing on her protection, you planned on using her as bait."

Scott looks down and says, "I know…" "No Scott! You don't know." Liam glares at him, but then sighs and says, "We can't protect anyone. The only one of us that is still working solely to try and protect everyone innocent from what's evil; that's Nixie. And if I didn't know better, I'd say she was losing it." "Why?" "Because she still hates Theo. I mean, the guy practically helped save her life, and she hates the guy." Scott nods and says, "Yeah. I don't understand what's with her on that point."

Liam shrugs, and then glares again and says, "I'd still stick with her over you at this point. At least with her I know she'd be focusing on only keeping Hayden safe." "Liam…" But he walks away without another word.

* * *

Stiles isn't sure why he's telling Theo about the bodies. Well, other than the fact that Lydia and Nixie are going to tell Jordan. And Stiles knows that Nixie has him, no matter what, and she'll tell Jordan whatever she has to about Donovan if it comes to that. But… he wants backup, he guesses. And Theo was the murderer of another one of the bodies to be found, so… Well, it's not like he's going to tell Scott about it, in any case.

"You guys are sure that's where Parrish is taking the bodies?" Stiles turns to Theo and nods and says, "Lydia and Nixie both say that's what happens in his dream." Theo pauses and says, "I mean, you know if Lydia finds the Nemeton, she's also going to find Donovan."

He turns to look at Theo angrily, glancing around them to remind him of where they are. Theo glances too, and then says, "Sorry." Stiles nods and says, "She's also going to find Josh." Theo and him stare at each other for a moment, and then Theo sighs and says, "You know what, maybe she should. I think things are different now for Scott. Especially after what he did to Corey. I don't think he's going to blame us for defending ourselves. I know he won't blame you."

And even though Stiles still doesn't exactly trust him, he really hopes that Theo is right.

Elsewhere in the world, with Lydia getting ready to confront Jordan and tell him everything, Nixie feels something inside her break again, and this time the pain stretches to encompass nearly everything in her. She loses her footing for a moment, but regains it quickly and Lydia doesn't notice.

And to herself, she whispers heartbrokenly, "No Stiles. I have to have you."

* * *

Theo and Scott are driving to follow Corey in the ambulance. Poor Mason, still at the school, mercury coating his shirt and hands. He's not sure what he's supposed to do at this point.

Scott turns to Theo and asks, "Hey, what did you want to talk to me about?" "It can wait." But Scott insists, "Something's wrong. You should tell me. We've all got to start talking to each other again." Theo sighs and says, "This might not be the best place to start Scott." "You think I'm gonna be angry?"

"Not with me." Scott looks at him in concern, and then says, "Theo, you can talk to me." He ponders it for a moment, and then says to Scott, "Open the glove compartment."

And inside is the wrench. The wrench that Stiles had hit Donovan with one time, in the mouth, to free himself and give himself a head start to try and survive. Theo nods and says, "It belonged to Stiles. He dropped it at the school." Scott stares down at the blood on the top of the wrench and asks quietly, "Dropped it when?"

"When he killed Donovan." Scott snaps his attention to Theo and asks, "What are you talking about?" "You know he hurt his shoulder right? You smelled the blood?" Scott nods and says, "That was the jeep. He said the jeep's hood fell on him." Theo shakes his head and says, "No, no, no, that was Donovan. He went after Stiles at the library."

Scott looks away while Theo continues explaining, "I only saw the end of it. And when I saw what Stiles was doing… I couldn't stop him." Theo pauses, in his ever dramatic way, and then says, "I shouldn't… I shouldn't be telling you this. You should hear this from him…"

Scott turns to Theo, an almost lost look in his eyes. And he says, "Tell me."

Theo tells him the story, or his version of the story. A version that paints Stiles as a monster, and himself as the unfortunate witness to an angry murder. Scott absorbs every word. He… he believes him.

And once again, in another part of town with Lydia, Nixie feels herself breaking inside. The only place it doesn't reach is her head, and her whole body seizes up in response to it.

She doesn't know how she understands what causes the break and the pain. She just knows. She knows that Scott doesn't just trust Theo now. No. Now it's worse.

Now Scott doesn't think he can trust Stiles.

Lydia is inside, getting Jordan. Nixie didn't want to go into the station. She didn't want Noah to see her and try to stop her from taking Jordan out of the building. He'd probably stop bending the rule on allowing them to be a secret couple until she was eighteen. Because what did he care anymore if his desire to do things by his cop law book put him, his department, all of her friends, and even her in danger. But hey, he would be obeying the law.

Damn. She really needed to figure out what was wrong with her so she could stop feeling so angry and upset all the time.

She sighs though when Jordan's arm wraps around her shoulders. Pulling her along with them to his truck, he opens the door for her to sit in the passenger seat. Lydia stops her though and says, "Hop in the back Nixie. You should catch some rest while you can. I can get us to the woods easily enough."

Nixie feels a spasm, but hides it and smiles at Lydia before climbing into the backseat. Now Lydia is in the front. Sitting next to her mate, her Jordan. And that particular part of this day, Lydia arranged. And now she was looking and thinking about Lydia in the way normal vengeful teenage girls thought about each other when they were stealing each other's boyfriends.

Yeah, she needed to figure out what was wrong with herself. ASAP.

* * *

Jordan glances in the rearview mirror at Nixie, sleeping while laying out in the back seat. Turning to Lydia, he asks, "So, if this place is so important, how come you didn't want to show it to me before?" Lydia sighs and says, "Well, the problem is it's not easy to find." "Should we put it in the GPS?" Nixie, having woken to the sound of his voice, laughs a little and he glances back at her again, grinning at putting a smile on her face.

Lydia smiles too, and then says, "Not exactly." Jordan nods and asks, "So, how are we going to find it? Because I know what you told me, but I don't remember ever being anywhere near a giant tree stump." Lydia glances around and says, "I think you're already starting to remember."

He glances at her and asks, "How do you know that?" Nixie sits up and glances around too, and then nods to Lydia and says, "You just took a right turn Jordan." He glances at both of them, a little worried. Nixie kisses his cheek and says, "Don't worry so much. This is good." Lydia nods and says, "This is what we need. We need to find it."

* * *

Lydia didn't answer her phone, but Stiles left a message anyway. Then he called Nixie. Looking down at her phone, she says, "I'll be right back you guys." Lydia nods, and Nixie answers, "What's up Stiles?" "Oh thank God! Are you with Lydia?" "Yeah. Did you try her? Her phone doesn't get as good reception down here as mine does." "Okay, that explains that. Now, back on topic. There's another dead chimera, so right now is probably not the greatest time to be alone with Parrish."

Nixie frowns, and then says, "She's not alone with Jordan. She's with me and Jordan. And he's not dangerous, so long as we stay out of his way if he decides to go after a body. We know the rule Stiles." "Nixie, you guys have to keep each other safe. He might…" "He's not dangerous Stiles. Look, don't argue with me on that, alright. We'll be fine. I've got Lydia, and Jordan has both of us. We'll be okay."

After she hangs up, she moves to catch up to them. She can hear Lydia ask, "Anything look familiar?" Jordan sighs and says, "Nothing. I'm trying, but it all looks like woods to me." Lydia ponders a moment and says, "Maybe you're thinking about it too much. Maybe it's something you need to feel." "And how do I do that?"

Lydia then throws a punch at him, which he quickly deflects. Raising an eyebrow, he asks, "What was that for?" "To get you to stop thinking." And she goes again, and Jordan laughs and asks, "Oh, is this supposed to motivate me?" Lydia rolls her eyes and says, "No. It's supposed to get you to stop…" 'punch' "… thinking!" She uses some of the moves Nixie taught her, and manages to knock Jordan back.

He looks at her impressed and says, "Nice." "Nixie trains harder, but you can't argue with the results." And Jordan beckons her to bring it on.

They don't notice Nixie catch up and freeze where she stands, watching them fight and practice against each other. They don't notice her watching their intricate dance of punches and kicks, elbows and knees.

Jordan stops them by grabbing her wrists and twisting them in front of him, bring them almost to his chest. They're both panting and breathless.

Then Jordan's eyes start to glow, and he looks to his left.

The Nemeton is literally only about fifteen yards from them. As Lydia and Jordan move closer to it, Nixie finally moves and joins them. Lydia turns to her and says, "He found it. And… and they're all here." Nixie nods and says, "Yeah." Lydia then smiles and says, "On the bright side… your training paid off. I was really giving him a run for his money."

Jordan smiles gently at her, but both turn to Nixie when all she says is, "Yeah. I saw." She's looking at the bodies when she turns at the feel of a hand gently gripping her elbow. Looking up at Jordan, she asks, "Yeah?" "Are you alright?" "Yeah." He tilts his head, so she shakes hers quickly and says, "Sorry. Guess I'm still tired." Looking to the bodies, she tells Lydia, "You should try to call Stiles and tell him we found it."

Back at the school around the same time, Noah pulls Theo aside and into a locker room. "Am I going to need a lawyer?" Noah looks at him and says, "You tell me."

Theo nods and starts telling the Donovan story again, only this time he says, "Stiles wasn't there." Noah nods and says, "But Donovan was. He was a chimera." Theo nods and tells him, "A wendigo. He was looking for Stiles. He was going to kill him. Donovan said that he wanted to kill Stiles in front of you. When he saw me there instead, he tried to get me to tell him where Stiles was." "What'd you tell him?" "Nothing. So he came at me."

With tears in his eyes, Theo says, "I tried to fight him off, but… all I kept thinking was that… I can't let him kill me, and I can't let him kill Stiles. So I climbed up the scaffolding, but he started to drag me down." He stammers, ever the perfect actor, and then says, "Then these support beams, they slid off the top. When I looked back, one of them had gone right through him."

Looking to Noah again, he says, "I didn't… I didn't know what to do. I dialed 9-1-1, but when the deputy got there, the body was gone. Even the blood. Everything was just, it was gone. And I didn't… I didn't know what to do. So I didn't do anything. I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do. So I didn't…" Noah nods finally, reaching out to pull Theo closer. "Okay Theo. Okay." He hugs him in comfort, and says, "It's gonna be okay."

Back in the woods, Nixie feels something inside her break once more. The pain spreads up into her jaw, and she turns away from the bodies as her teeth lengthen and the talons on her hand extend. Her body locks up for a moment before calming down. Noah believes Theo.

Glaring at the woods around her, she mutters to herself, "What the hell am I supposed to do about it?!"

She knows what the feeling is now. And it is her heart, but it's also more than that. It's the pack itself. With every crack, every rift, every true show of doubt in each other, Nixie has felt the group dwindle and fall apart.

She's been feeling not just her heart break for all the deception, but the very breaking of the pack itself.

She jumps out of her thoughts when Jordan walks past her, Lydia following. Back to normal, or at least looking that way, she catches up as Jordan says, "I need to call it in. No, I need to turn myself in." Lydia catches him and says, "I don't think that's such a good idea." He looks at both of them and says, "You just told me I'm the one taking the bodies. I've attacked other law enforcement officers. That's a criminal offense!"

Looking at Nixie, then at Lydia, he shakes his head and says, "I shouldn't even be near you. Either of you."

Nixie's chest contracts painfully. Not in the way of a pack breaking. No, this is just plain because she's been hurt. She knows, in her head, that Jordan means for her safety, not that he doesn't want to be near her at all. He does. Right?

But the dragon, the dragon that is only a day and some hours away from being known… the dragon part of her is now aching at the idea that Jordan, her mate, doesn't want to be near her.

Shaking her head to try and clear it, she catches up as Lydia says, "I'm not afraid of you." She puts herself in front of Jordan, stopping him from walking any further. Staring up at him, she says earnestly, "Neither am I. Jordan… I know you'd never hurt me." "But I did! I tossed a jeep over with you in it!" "That was because of Stiles and because he was in the way. You… you still knew that I'd be fine. You promised me that I would be; me and Stiles!"

He stares at her, and then leans closer and says, "Nixie… you should be afraid of me. Alright? I'm afraid of me." Lydia comes up to them and says, "Whatever's happening Jordan, it seems to only happen when there's a body. Other than that, you're still a pretty nice guy." Nixie nods and says, "The greatest."

Jordan gives her a look that tells her she's not allowed to say that because she's biased towards him, since he's her mate. Lydia adds, "And you're a pretty good deputy." He looks to Lydia and says, "I'm a very good deputy, and I'd like to stay that way. Flipping over jeeps and attacking colleagues doesn't exactly fit with 'protect and serve'. I've covering up the bodies of murdered teenagers."

Lydia huffs and says, "You're not covering them up." But Nixie stops, ponders for a moment, and then says, "Actually… maybe he is." He jerks around to look at her and asks, "What?" Looking at Lydia, Nixie says earnestly, "It's the same thing we asked the Sheriff to do with Tracy." Lydia's eyes widen, and she turns to Jordan and says, "You're not covering up bodies. You're covering up the supernatural."

He looks between them and asks in exasperation, "What's the difference?" Nixie says, "Don't you get it? You're protecting us." Lydia nods and says, "Maybe you're keeping the secret safe. Maybe that's part of what you do." He holds out his hands as though to say look at me, and then says, "I'm a deputy."

Lydia tilts her head and says, "You're not just a deputy." Nixie nods and adds, "And you aren't one of the bad guys Jordan. Please…" "Nixie. Lydia. You both just showed me that my dream is real. But Lydia, you haven't heard the rest of it."

Nixie makes a note to remember that she needs to add the fact that she had hidden the ending of Jordan's dream from Lydia for a while. Just one more secret she'd add to the collection. Lydia looks between them and asks, "What?" Jordan sighs and says, "Every time I carry a body to the Nemeton, I put it down…" Looking up at her, he says, "And I add to the ones that are already there."

Lydia looks between them again, and then asks, "How many?" Jordan sighs and says, "Hundreds, Lydia. Hundreds."

Nixie is about to step forward, to hug him maybe or something, but he turns away as though to continue walking. And then Lydia moves in front of him and wraps him in her own hug. "It's alright Jordan. It's alright."

And he hugs her back.

He didn't want to be near Nixie. He turned away from her when she was going to hug him herself. And now he was standing in Lydia's arms, openly accepting her affection.

This is the worst possible day before her birthday ever.

Her phone goes off, and she's thankful for the distraction, because whether Jordan or Lydia notice it, clouds are beginning to roll in again. Clouds that are coming because of her.

Answering it, she asks, "Yeah? What's up Scott?"

Both Jordan and Lydia turn when she shouts, "WHAT?!" Closing her eyes and pinching her nose, she asks, "Where is Hayden?" "We're taking her to the animal clinic. They stuck her with something, and Liam said her eyes filled with mercury. I'm going to get my mom, but I don't know if she's really going to be able to help." "So, wait… who's taking them to the clinic?" "Theo."

Nixie snarls at the name. She can't help it. "Don't Nixie! You don't know the good he's done!" "He's not good Scott. I've told you. Just listen to me!" "No, you listen! He told me about Donovan. I know what happened to him."

"What?" Nixie's voice is quiet this time, and Scott nods and says, "I know Stiles killed him. Bashed his head in with a wrench. He killed Donovan, Nixie! He killed him in cold blood." Nixie stands up straight and asks, "Is that what he said now?" "Theo has been doing more for us, more for Stiles, than anyone even knew. For God's sake Nixie, he helped save your life!" "I didn't need him!" "How can you be so stupid!"

She cracks again, and this time the pain stretches to just under her eyes. She growls into the phone, and then says in a snarl, "I'm coming. Not for you, and not for Theo. I'm coming for Hayden and Liam. I'm coming for Stiles."

Hanging up, she nearly crushes her phone in her hand, a hand that talons are now present on. Lydia and Jordan look at each other, and then Jordan asks, "Nixie?" "What?!" He jumps at her snap, and then Lydia steps forward and says, "Nixie, calm down." "Calm down!" She turns to them, eyes glowing a bright silver.

"Calm down! I can't! Scott has lost his damn mind. You all have. Theo can't be trusted. I can see it. I can see the wicked in him like I can see the good in both of you. And no one, not one of you, has listened to me or Stiles!" Glaring, she says, "Corey's dead. Some other girl named Beth is dead. Hayden is going to die. And you two are out here hugging like an old married couple trying to work through their issues!"

Her teeth snap together, and Jordan jumps forward and grabs Lydia. Pulling her back, he asks, "Nixie, what are you talking about?" "What? Do you think I would hurt her? I'm not afraid of you Jordan. Are you afraid of me?" "Nixie, stop shouting! You're scaring Lydia!"

Nixie glances at Lydia, who is clinging to Jordan's backside while peering around at her.

Lydia her friend. Lydia, her best friend. Lydia who is looking at her like she doesn't even recognize her.

Lydia Martin, who looks like she's afraid of Nixie and what she's becoming.

She can feel when her body finally relaxes again, can feel her eyes calm down. And what's left behind in the wake of her anger is horror. She'd snapped at Lydia. She'd snapped at Jordan. And not just with mean words. She'd literally snapped her teeth at the two of them.

Backing away, she says, "I… I'm…" Jordan watches her for a moment, and though she says them quietly, he and Lydia hear her ask, "What the hell is happening to me?" She looks down at her hands, and then up at Jordan, who is taking another step towards her. Only now, she doesn't want him to come near her.

She was having so much trouble trusting anyone else. What if that wasn't the worst of her problems though? What if it was her? What if she couldn't trust herself?

Backing away quickly, she says, "I… Scott needs help. I'm going to find Hayden and Liam, and see what I can do." "Nixie…" She looks to Lydia and says, "You two should try to stick together. Parrish will take care of you Lydia. And if he does go off somewhere, you can tell everybody else he's coming and to just stay out of the way." Nodding to herself, she backs away again and says, "You two have each other. That'll work. That's better."

Jordan stares at her in surprise for two reasons. One being that she just said that he and Lydia would have each other, and that would be a good thing. It might not mean anything, but from the look in her eyes, Nixie doesn't believe that it's just nothing. She thinks there's something more between them. And for whatever reason, she's deciding to get out of the way of it; to let it happen.

The second reason is because she called him Parrish. She hasn't called him by his last name in forever. She always calls him Jordan.

Just like she always used to call the Sheriff, Noah.

"Nixie?" She looks up at him, and then says, "I'm sorry. I don't… I… I have to go. I'll be faster if I run. You two, watch each other. Yeah. That'll be good. I… I have to go." "Nixie!" But she turns and sprints, taking off out of the woods, knowing that there's no way he or Lydia can catch her.

* * *

Nixie heads to the clinic as fast as she can, arriving at the same time as Stiles. Running up to him, she asks, "You good?" "Yeah, would've been here sooner, but the jeep wouldn't start. It's barely hanging on." She nods, and then says, "Listen, Stiles…" But Scott steps over to them and Stiles says, "Hey sorry. Like I told Nix, I couldn't start the jeep. And I couldn't get in touch with Malia or Lydia."

Scott just stares at him, so Stiles turns towards him and asks, "Scott?"

Nixie knows they don't notice that it's raining much harder than it should. They're too preoccupied. And she doesn't really blame them. But she knows. This rain is hers.

Scott pulls out the wrench, and Stiles asks, "Where did you get that?" "This is yours?" Stiles takes it, knowing it's his. Nixie puts a hand on his back and says softly, "Be strong." Scott demands, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Stiles looks up at him and says, "I was going to." "No, but why didn't you tell me when it happened?" "I couldn't." Scott shakes his head and says, "You killed him? You killed Donovan?" Stiles straightens up at that and says, "Well, he was going to kill my dad. Huh? Was I supposed to just let him?" Scott shakes his head more and says, "You weren't supposed to do this. None of us are."

Nixie tugs at Stiles and says, "Stiles, wait… you don't…" But Stiles holds up a hand at her and says, "You think I had a choice?" "There's always a choice." Stepping forward, Stiles yells, "Yeah, well, I can't do what you can, Scott. I know you wouldn't have done it. You probably would've just figured something out, right?"

Scott narrows his eyes and says, "I'd try." "Yeah because you're Scott McCall! You're the true alpha! Well, guess what? All of us can't be true alphas. Some of us have to make mistakes. Some of us have to get out hands a little bloody sometimes. Some of us are human!"

Scott shakes his head in disbelief and says, "So you had to kill him?" "Scott! He was going to kill my dad!" "But the way that it happened… there's a point when it's not self-defense anymore!" "What are you even talking about?"

Nixie tugs on his arm and says, "Stiles, listen…" "Nixie, give me a minute." "But…" "Scott! I didn't have a choice, Scott!"

They stare at each other for a moment, and then Stiles says, "You don't even believe me, do you?" "I want to." Stiles nods and says, "Okay, alright. So… so believe me then. Scott… say you believe me." Scott doesn't speak, and Stiles leaves Nixie's side to step closer to him. "Say it. Say you believe me."

Nixie waits with baited breath, the raining pouring down harder than ever. Then Scott says, "Stiles, we can't kill people that we're trying to save." Stiles lifts his hands in aggravation and says, "Scott, say you believe me." But Scott flinches back, and Nixie feels another crack rip through her body. It takes all her willpower to remain standing.

"We can't kill people! Do you believe that Stiles?" Stiles just stares at him, and Nixie suddenly gains her second sight again. And Stiles' aura is tinged with sadness all around it. It's consuming some of the usually bright and happy looking aura that is his. And Scott's is covered in torment, confusion, and distrust.

He doesn't trust Stiles. He trusts Theo. And worse yet, he actually believes that Stiles not only would kill someone in cold blood, but that Stiles might actually be getting angry enough to hit him with the wrench as well, just like he believes Stiles already did to Donovan.

Stiles looks at him helplessly and says, "Well, what do I do about this? What do you want me to do? Okay, just be… Scott, just tell me how to fix this, alright? Please just tell me, what do you want me to do?" For a moment all is quiet, and then Scott says, "Don't worry about Malia or Lydia. We'll find them." Nodding to himself, he says, "Maybe… maybe you should talk to your dad."

Then he looks at Nixie and says, "Come on." Nixie glares at him, and thunder cracks across the sky loudly. Whether they realize that's her fault or not doesn't matter anymore. She moves to Stiles side and says, "You don't know anything Scott. You don't know what really happened. And if you think, for one second, that I'm going in there while that monster is in there too, then you really don't know me at all."

Gripping Stiles' arm, she says, "Get in the jeep. We're leaving." Scott glares at her, but then turns and slams the clinic door behind him. Stiles gets in the jeep, and then Nixie says, "Lydia might be at the station. Try to find Malia. I'll worry about Lydia." He nods numbly, and then takes off at her instructions.

She herself doesn't really know where she's going. She's almost afraid to try and go see Jordan and Lydia again.

But what the hell. This night and probably tomorrow are already guaranteed to suck beyond measure. Might as well make sure it sucks as absolutely much as possible.

* * *

Chapter 9! So yeah, really sad stuff happening. For those of you that don't know yet, I'm a firm and big believer in happy endings and stuff, so while I was watching this show, this whole half of Season 5 was like torture for me. But I digress. Chapter 10 will follow shortly. Hope you're still enjoying the ride (even sad as it currently is).


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

* * *

Chapter 10: Episode 5x10

Before she gets far though, Nixie hears Stiles coughing from the direction she sent him in. Turning back, she finds him on the ground by his jeep, the poor vehicle apparently having finally given out, possibly once and for all. Sliding down next to him, she says, "I'll help fix it." "There's no fixing it." "Stiles…" "He… he didn't believe me Nix."

Nixie turns to him and says, "It's Theo. It's all on Theo." "No, it's half on Theo." When Nixie tilts her head, he says, "Theo is bad. You and I both get that. But… Scott doesn't have to trust him. He never had to. He could've listened to us. He could've trusted us. And he wonders why I'm so angry all the time?"

Nixie runs a hand up and down his back, and then says, "Come on. I'll walk you home." "Don't you need to find Lydia?" "She's at the station, so long as she stays with Jordan like I told her to."

Nodding, Stiles stands up, and then puts an arm around her as they walk in silence. They don't say anything more. They don't have the energy. And Nixie doesn't even bother pointing out to him that she's the reason it's raining. It's not like it would make a difference anyway.

* * *

"Go home, Lydia." They're both sitting on the floor, Lydia on the outside of the bars and Jordan inside. Sighing, he says, "Stilinski isn't telling anyone where he put the bodies and I'm pretty sure I'm not psychic." Lydia nods and says, "But you're drawn to death. Just like me." He looks at her and asks "Does that make me a kind of banshee?" She looks back at him, and then shrugs and says, "You find dead bodies." "I find chimeras." "Dead chimeras."

Sighing, he says, "So we're both harbingers of death. I should probably add that to my resume." Lydia gives a soft, "Hmm. It's on my college applications." She reaches over for his hand through the bars, giving his a squeeze. Then she pulls back and asks, "Do you think that's what she meant?"

Jordan looks at her and asks, "What do you mean?" "Nixie." Lydia stares off at a wall and says, "I've been… I've been trying so hard to figure out what happened out in the woods. She was upset and angry, but it was more than that. She looked at us, both of us, like we'd wronged or cheated her somehow. Did you see it?"

Jordan nods and says, "Yeah. I saw it." Lydia asks, "Do you… do you think that she thinks there's something going on? Between you and me?" Sitting up straighter, Jordan says, "No. I mean, why would she? I've told her I love her." Lydia sighs and says, "I just don't understand it then. She wants to be with you all the time. Why did she send me to stay with you? And why did she say we were hugging like an old married couple?"

Sighing, Jordan runs a hand over his face and asks, "You said it looked like she was more than just upset and angry. What do you mean by that?" Lydia shakes her head for a moment, but then says, "Hurt. I think she looked hurt. And not just physically, but emotionally. That's what I saw. And then when she calmed down, she just looked horrified."

Jordan nods and says, "Well, I know what that was about." "What was it about?" "About you?" "She was scared of me?" "No Lydia. She was afraid of herself, because she'd frightened you." "I wasn't scared of her. I was just worried about whatever it was that had upset her so much." "Well, Nixie thought you were afraid of her, and that's the last thing in the world she wants for any of you guys."

Looking at him, she asks, "How do you know that?" "She's told me. Everything she does or doesn't do… it's to try and make all of you feel safe with her. She wants all of you to know that she is a safe place for you to stay, for you to call on…" Looking to Lydia, he says, "She really loves all of you guys."

Lydia nods, and then says, "I've been thinking." "Aren't you always?" "I've been spending a lot of time with you." "Same as Nixie. Less actually." "That's my point though. I met you at Tracy's and bought you coffee. I asked you to teach me how to fight, and that's not exactly something we can do at arm's length. And then I fought you in the woods. Do you think she saw that?"

Jordan ponders, and then says, "Probably." Lydia nods again and says, "And then the hug. She went to hug you first you know. I saw that. But you didn't see it, and I… I just wanted to help. I figured I'd stop you from still leaving and eventually Nixie would have you in her arms again. And then her phone went off and… and…"

Looking over at Jordan, she says, "She thinks something is going on between us." Jordan looks to her too, and then says, "Why? I tell her I love her every day. I kiss her every chance I get. We sleep together…" Lydia tilts her head and Jordan quickly says, "Not like that. Actual sleep."

Lydia shrugs and then says, "Maybe there's more to it than just you and me. Maybe she's under other stress too." "Like what?" "I don't know. But it wouldn't be the first time she's kept things from us." Jordan sits up straighter again and asks, "You think she's hiding again." "Not in the same way. We know when she's injured. But…"

Turning so she's fully facing the bars, she says, "The closer she gets to eighteen, the more her dragon features are supposed to surface, right?" Jordan nods, and then sighs when Lydia points out, "Well, aside from the occasional glowing of the eyes that she can't control, I haven't seen any new traits about her. She's hiding them. She has to be. At least for the most part."

Jordan nods, and then says, "Maybe you should go find her." "Oh no. She might think we spend too much time together, but she told me to keep an eye on you, and I intend to." Jordan chuckles and shakes his head before sighing and saying, "I hope she comes eventually." Lydia smiles and says, "You two are still the most adorable thing." "Thanks. Maybe if you say that again when she comes back, it'll cheer her up." "Worth a shot anyway."

* * *

Nixie watches with Stiles the next day as the tow truck drags his jeep away. On the ride with Malia, she asks, "Can they fix it?" Stiles shakes his head, "There's not enough duct tape in the world to fix that thing." Malia suggests, "Maybe you should try something other than duct tape."

Stiles sighs and says, "It's got a bad alternator, you know. It needs all new belts. The transmission's going. The brake pads are basically metal on metal." She glances at him and asks, "How come you let it get so bad?"

"There's been a few distractions, in case you haven't noticed." She looks at him again and says, "I notice. More than you think I do." Stiles sighs and says, "I didn't mean it like that." "Am I taking you home?"

Nixie sits up straighter when he says, "No. Sheriff station. I gotta talk to my dad."

* * *

"Does it helping knowing?" Lydia looks at Jordan and says, "It doesn't scare me as much. Now that I know." Then she tilts her head and asks, "Do I scare you?" "Once. Well, twice really." "Really?" He nods and comes back to the bars, closer to her.

"It was the night I found that werewolf, the one with the talons. I thought I was going to die that night." "How come?"

Nixie, having watched everything else so far, already out of the car and leaving Malia and Stiles to talk, feels something in her chest tighten again when Jordan says, "Because I saw you. I saw the banshee."

Sighing, he says, "But I guess it was just a dream, or a hallucination." Lydia tilts her head and asks, "Just me?" He looks at her, and then says, "No. I saw Nixie too."

Her chest loosens at that, if only a little bit. Lydia nods and asks, "And what were we doing?" "Trying to keep me alive." "Did we both do the same thing?" "No. You just knelt beside me. You told me to hang on and stay with us. I didn't understand who 'us' was at first, but then I saw Nixie on my other side. She was the one that actually touched me. She even kissed me and asked me not to leave her."

Which finally explained why he had been muttering about not leaving someone. He'd meant her.

Well, at least, he meant it in the sense of not dying. He and Lydia still seem pretty close in her opinion.

Though Lydia counters that by saying, "Well, I know Nixie was there because you were, and you know damn well she's going to fight to keep you around." Jordan grins at that, and then Lydia adds, "But the banshee was mostly trying to stay out of the rain."

Right. That was the night of the storm. "The wild hunt." Jordan looks to Lydia and asks, "The what?" "Oh, it's just something Kira was telling me and Nixie one night. A myth about thunderstorms. Ghost riders in the sky and black dogs…"

Nixie doesn't miss the pause. Lydia, the brilliant Lydia, has just put something together in her head. Jordan asks, "What is it?" "I need to check on something. I'll be right back, don't go anywhere." And Nixie grins when she rolls her eyes at Jordan and says, "You know what I mean."

Nixie feels her heart break again, the pack crumbling further. Malia and Stiles are no longer together, but that's not the worst part.

It's Liam. He's angry. Too angry. And he's angry at Scott. And Liam believes Theo would've already bit Hayden by now, tried to save her that way. And he's beyond pissed that Scott won't give her the bite.

Cringing and slumping, she finds herself gagging on air as she falls to her hands and knees on the floor. Liam's anger was almost as palpable as Theo's wicked aura. It was choking in it's potency, and she wasn't even anywhere near him.

Her hair, what has fallen from the hair bow, is pulled back from her face suddenly, and Lydia says, "Nixie! What's wrong? What's happening?"

"Hey!" She looks back at Jordan over Nixie's shoulder and he asks, "Is she alright?"

"Liam." Lydia turns back to her as Nixie straightens up. Rising to her feet and gasping for air, she curses the pain under her breath, and then says, "I have to find Liam." Looking to Lydia, and then to Jordan, she raises an eyebrow and asks, "Really? That seems necessary?" Lydia stares at her a moment, and then says, "He can't get out." "Whatever else he is… probably most definitely can."

She looks down the hall to Jordan again, and then waves and says, "Sorry. I just came to check on you guys. I can't stay." "Nixie…" She shakes her head at Lydia and says, "I'm… I'm having an off day, off week, and off month Lydia. But… I think if I can just make it through today, it'll be okay."

Lydia squints as she thinks and asks, "Today? But why to…" She freezes and her eyes widen. Putting a hand to her mouth, she says sadly, "It's your birthday." Nixie nods after a moment, not bothering to look at Jordan's face to see if he's surprised by that fact or not. If not for this impending feeling of drastic change, she probably would've forgotten about her birthday too.

Lydia reaches for her and says, "Nix, I'm so…" "Don't apologize." She reaches out and hugs Lydia, pushing whatever comfort she has left to give into that hug. Then she releases her and says, "We've kind of been preoccupied with dying teenagers and dread doctors." Lydia nods and says, "And Theo." Nixie blinks at that, and then tilts her head and says, "You trust him too." "I thought maybe we could, but…"

She cups Nixie's face in her hands and asks, "You saw it? You saw that he was evil? What does that mean?" Nixie sighs and says, "I wish I knew how to better explain it. He's evil. I can see it. Leave it at that for now."

Lydia nods, and then says, "Then I don't trust him either." It's not nearly enough to fix all the pain that she's currently in, but it's a start. Nixie smiles tiredly and says, "Good." "I'll be at the library." "Lydia…" She turns back to Nixie, who says, "Please be careful." "Okay."

Nixie turns to leave too, but Jordan shouts, "Nixie!" Sighing, she moves down to his cell and asks, "Yeah?" He reaches through the bars and takes her hands in his. Tugging her closer, he says, "Lydia thinks you believe something might be going on between the two of us." "Does she now?" "Is she wrong?"

Nixie doesn't answer him, but tilts her head, and then says, "Stiles is here. I need to check on him. He's… he's having a hard month too." "Nixie…" "I love you Parrish. I always will." She kisses him hard through the bars, and then smiles tightly before saying, "I'll see you when this is all over."

And she leaves him at that, going to find Stiles in the station.

They end up sitting in Noah's office and have been there for a while, when Nixie jerks her head to the right and stands up. Stiles looks at her and asks, "What's wrong?" "I think… I think something's wrong with Lydia." Squinting, she says, "I can't be sure. I… I think Theo hurt her." Stiles jumps up and asks, "Where?" "No. You stay here. I'll see if I can find her. You… you talk to your dad." "Nix…" "And keep an eye on Parrish."

She's about to head out the door, when Stiles asks, "Nixie? Why are you calling him Parrish?" Nixie pauses, her hand on the doorknob. Sighing, she says, "A blue dragon has a mate. Someone they apparently need. Someone to remind them that when all is said and done, even if the shit hits the fan and the rest of the world begins to hate them, that there is still one person who loves them, and will never leave them."

Squinting at the door in front of her, Nixie says, "I have a mate. Someone I need. But…" Looking back at Stiles, she says, "No one ever said anything about him needing me, or him even having to stay with me just because I say he's supposed to be mine." Stiles tilts his head at her and says, "Oh, Nix. No. Parrish… Jordan… he's crazy about you." "I'm not so sure Stiles. Lydia fills the gaps pretty well whenever I'm not around."

Stiles huffs and says, "They're both… what did she say at one point? They're both harbingers of death. In that respect, they probably have a lot in common. But Jordan would not actually survive two days dating Lydia. That's my job… someday." Nixie smiles gently at him, and then says, "Look, we can talk about it later. Right now, you wait for your dad. I'll try to find Lydia. Or at least someone."

It isn't until later, after she's gone and out looking for Lydia, that Jordan breaks out. And as others prepare to fire upon him, Stiles bursts out of the room and says "No, wait! Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Get back! Just stay out of his way!" And as soon as Jordan is out the door, Stiles sighs in relief and says, "Thank God. Nixie might've actually killed me if I'd let him get shot."

* * *

She can't find Lydia. When she went to the library no one was there when she arrived, so she took off to Lydia's house. Then the lake house. Then the police station again, where Jordan had already gotten out of. And as she ponders it, she realizes she can't find anybody.

Hurrying to the hospital, where she prays to find at least one person, she finally finds Mason and Melissa with Hayden. And Hayden's dying. "Go Mason. Go." Mason turns to try and go find Liam, only to run into Nixie. She gently moves him around her, and then moves to Hayden's side. Looking up at Melissa, she asks, "Nothing?" "I've done everything I can. I don't know what else to try."

Nixie takes Hayden's hand in hers, tries to take the injury, the pain… anything. But she can't. Whatever is happening to her, whatever the mercury is doing, whatever the dread doctors did… it's not something she can take this time. She can't fix this.

So she presses a kiss to Hayden's forehead, and is about to leave, when Hayden tightens her grip. "Can you… can you stay?" Setting down on the side of the cot, Nixie nods and says, "Yeah. I'll stay." "Promise?" "I'm not going anywhere."

And she stays, Melissa by her side, until Hayden takes her last breath. Melissa looks up around her as she hears the rain lightly begin pouring outside. "Nixie…" "I know. The rain's my fault." Standing up, she says, "I can't find anyone else. I'm gonna try to find Stiles. Maybe… maybe he knows where Jordan is or something." Melissa nods and says, "I know Scott went to the school to look for Hayden's sister and Lydia." "Someone should text him to not get Clark. Getting her to be with her dying sister is one thing. Bringing her to an already dead sister… that's just cruel." Melissa nods, and then says, "Go. I'll stay with her a while. Clean her up."

And with that, she sprints away from the hospital, and catches Stiles scent in the sheriff's office, and follows it to where he's talking to Theo in a parking lot. "Your dad was looking for you Stiles. He found me instead."

Stiles, glaring harder than Nixie has ever seen him look at a person, asks, "Where is he?" Theo shakes his head in disappointment and says, "I covered for you. This was taken care of. If Melissa hadn't found this at the hospital…" He trails off as he shows Stiles his library card, and then says, "I guess even the son of a cop can make mistakes."

"Did you hurt him?" Theo turns to him, and says, "I never lied about why I came to Beacon Hills. I'm here for a pack." Circling Stiles now, his true colors finally showing, Theo says, "I came for the werecoyote. The one whose first instinct, is to kill. I came for the banshee, the girl surrounded by death. I came for the dark kitsune, and for the beta with anger issues." Shouting now, he says, "I came for Void Stiles!"

Grinning, he says, "That's the pack I want. Unfortunately, it doesn't include Scott, a so called true alpha."

Nixie can hear it too, even before Theo says, "Your heartbeat's rising Stiles. It's not because you're afraid. Nogitsune is gone, but you've still got more blood on your hands than any of us." Stiles, glaring at him, says, "I'm about to get more."

Theo chuckles, and then says, "I'll tell you where your dad is. If you promise not to help Scott. You see, I have Scott trapped now in a bit of a predicament, and I need you to stay away from that." And Nixie is so happy when Stiles finally… finally! … punches Theo in the face. He just laughs though and says, "There he is! That's Void Stiles. And it felt good, didn't it?"

Stiles punches him again, and Theo says, "And we won't tell Scott how good it felt. Because you can't lose your best friend, right? Even though we both know you never needed him." Stiles lunges at him, pinning him to the ground. Theo just grins up at him and says, "You hate me now, but you'll get it eventually." Staring up at Stiles, he says, "This is the hard part. Because you can't help Scott and save your dad's life."

Nixie bites her tongue so hard she swears she bites a hole through it, but she stays silent while Theo says, "You've still got time Stiles. You've still got time."

And Stiles does what anyone would do. He takes the deal for his dad, and then rushes to go and save him. Nixie keeps herself completely quiet, and then hears Theo take off too.

The pressure behind her shoulder blades builds to a crescendo, but she forces whatever is happening back there to stay hidden for now. And once she has that under control, she trails Theo at a distance. With all the rain that's started falling, now that she's terrified for Stiles' dad as well, she knows she wouldn't catch Scott's scent on her own. She has to follow Theo, and she has to make sure he can't detect her following.

Which means that by the time she actually reaches the high school, well behind of Theo, Melissa is already pounding on Scott's chest, trying to bring him back from the brink of death. Or maybe just from death itself.

The pressure behind her shoulders refuses to stay hidden now, and Melissa and Mason both jerk to look as they hear her shirt tear off her body. It leaves her in her sports bra, shows the new and old scars, including those she'd taken from Corey and Lydia and Stiles.

And now… she's showing off her wings.

In hindsight, she should've known. She was a dragon for crying out loud, of course she had wings. Long and blue, when they fold behind her, the ends are only about half a foot off the ground. But she suspects if she needed to crouch, her wings would curl higher and in a different way so as to not stab into the floor beneath her. Her scales are half on display now, her eyes are glowing, her talons are out, and as she checks a clock on the wall, she knows why she can't fight this anymore. It's almost 11:59, which is the hour she was born on this day.

Hurrying into the room, ignoring Melissa and Mason's shocked expressions, she asks, "Is he alive?" "He has to be. He's an alpha." Mason looks at Melissa and says, "He… his heart. Melissa, he hasn't had a pulse in over fifteen minutes. You… You can't…" Melissa, on the verge of tears, on the verge of finally giving up, jumps when Nixie pushes her hands away.

Placing her own hands on Scott's chest, she closes her eyes and focuses on taking it away. Taking his pain. Taking his injury.

And making it her own.

Mason gapes in astonishment as some of the wound leaves Scott's chest and stomach, and then manifests itself onto Nixie's body. Cringing and crying out in pain, Nixie lifts glowing eyes to both of them, and then keeps going. She goes until suddenly, when she's stolen more than half of the injury, and her chest is bleeding and you can see a good portion of the muscle and blood inside of her, finally Scott gasps in a breath and lets out a mighty roar.

Nixie falls back into a nearby table, and waits with the others for Scott to finish. When he slumps back down and his chest continues to move up and down, Nixie sighs, and then rises to her feet.

Mason stares up at her, and then asks, "How… how did you…" Melissa asks, "Nixie?" Turning to look at them, half transformed and half not, she shakes her head and says, "I can't stay. I… I need to be alone." Melissa shakes her head and says, "Nixie, you're a blue dragon. You're never supposed to be alone."

And Melissa freezes, slightly terrified, when Nixie says, "We're all alone."

Her wings snap open, and she takes off into the sky, her first flight ever. It might've been grand, even enjoyable, if not for the death and decay that surrounded this day. If not for all the heartbreak and sadness. If not for her pack that was broken and shattered.

If not for the rain that she can't help but cause.

She lands at the cabin in the woods, and scrambles inside and falls to the floor. Sobbing into her hands, she looks up at her walls. All of the problems, all of the situations, all of the struggle and grief. None of it helped. None of it told her why she had lost so much control, and why she couldn't even hold it now. None of it had told her soon enough that Theo was a Chimera, that he was with the dread doctors.

All she knows now, is that it's her birthday. She is officially eighteen in five, four, three, two…

Her eyes very nearly burn as they shine brighter than ever. Her wings snap open behind her, her talons grow and the scales erupt over her whole body. Her sight changes to see the world in shades of evil and good, black and white and all the grays in between. And the pain in her chest, the wound there, though it remains, stops bleeding.

Her teeth extend, her head rears back, and she lets out her own mighty roar, one that sounds like a dinosaur on top a mountain, assuring his dominance over the land.

When she's finally finished, she slumps to the ground, and drags herself to her blankets and bags. Curling up into a ball, she actually finds she can use her wings to help cover her from the cold.

And here she stays, uncertain of what exactly will happen tomorrow, or if she'll even have the strength to get up. She doesn't know if she'll feel better, worse, or maybe nothing will change at all.

She has Stiles. She still has Stiles. And it's that thought; that one comforting thought she manages to keep, that stays with her as her body practically drags her into sleep.

* * *

"I lost mom." Melissa nods at her son and says, "Every leader suffers loss. Sometimes more than you think is bearable." Scott shakes his head and says, "This time I lost everyone." Melissa looks at him carefully and says, "You'll get them back. You have to." "Why would they come back?"

Melissa turns to him again and says, "Because you're their leader. And even when a leader thinks he has nothing left to give, there's still one thing." Scott looks up at her, the question evident in his eyes. "Hope Scott. Give them hope."

Scott watches as she tends to him some more, and then asks, "What did you do to me? How did you…" "It wasn't me." She looks at him, and then puts a hand on his and says, "Nixie, sweetheart. She apparently doesn't just take pain. She can take the injury itself too. At least part of it." Scott looks up and asks, "She… she has part of this." Melissa nods, and then says, "She explained to me that Theo got Stiles' dad, and that Stiles had to go after him to save him. Then she followed Theo, but far enough back that he couldn't tell."

Scooting closer to Scott, she says, "Today's her birthday, isn't it. She's eighteen?" Scott nods and says, "I completely forgot." "I think we all did for the most part." Squeezing Scott's hand, she says, "Nixie has wings Scott. I don't think she meant to show us. I think they just forced their way out."

Scott nods and says, "I should find her." "You need rest, and so does she. Sleep, and then wake up and figure out what to do next. Because believe me. We're going to need all of yours and everyone else's strength to get through this."

Scott looks at her and says, "But we will get through this. Together." Melissa smiles at him, and then says, "Make sure you emphasize that to Nixie next time you see her. That in particular is something she needs to hear."

* * *

Chapter 10! The end! Well, at least for this half of the season! Season 5b will be it's own story, which I will get to work on as soon as possible, I promise. Because believe me, I won't be able to stand leaving this as the ending for very long.

I hope you enjoyed what I did with the first half of Season 5. Hopefully I can do the second half justice as well. Let me know what you think. :)


End file.
